- Justice Dept has more evidence of possible Trump obstruction in documents probe – WaPo
Justice Department and FBI investigators have amassed fresh evidence pointing to possible obstruction by former president Donald Trump in the investigation into top-secret documents found at his Mar-a-Lago home, according to people familiar with the matter.
The additional evidence comes as investigators have used emails and text messages from a former Trump aide to help understand key moments last year, said the people, who like others interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation.
The new details highlight the degree to which special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the potential mishandling of hundreds of classified national security papers at Trump’s Florida home and private club has come to focus on the obstruction elements of the case — whether the former president took or directed actions to impede government efforts to collect all the sensitive records.
The emphasis on obstruction marks a key distinction so far between the Mar-a-Lago investigation and a separate Justice Department probe into how a much smaller number of classified documents ended up in an insecure office of President Biden’s, as well as his Delaware home. The Trump investigation is much further along than the Biden probe, which began in November and is being overseen by a different special counsel, Robert K. Hur. Biden’s lawyers say they have quickly handed over all classified documents found in Biden’s possession.
The Trump investigation team has spent much of its time focusing on events that happened after Trump’s advisers received a subpoena in May demanding the return of all documents with classified markings, the people familiar with the matter said. Smith is trying to determine if Trump or others mishandled national security documents, and if there is enough evidence to ask a grand jury to charge him with obstructing the investigation.
The Mar-a-Lago investigation is one of four separate criminal probes involving Trump, who is campaigning for another term in the White House. Trump has been indicted by a New York grand jury that heard evidence about money paid to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. He is set to make his first court appearance in that case Tuesday. He is also being investigated by the Justice Department and a state prosecutor in Georgia over efforts to block Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.
An FBI spokesman referred questions to a spokesman for the special counsel, who declined to comment.
Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a written statement: “The witch-hunts against President Trump have no basis in facts or law. The deranged special counsel and the DoJ have now resorted to prosecutorial misconduct by illegally leaking information to corrupt the legal process and weaponize the justice system in order to manipulate public opinion and conduct election interference, because they are clearly losing all across the board.”
The statement went on to point to the Biden classified documents probe, as well as the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server when she was secretary of state, suggesting that conduct there was worse than anything that happened at Mar-a-Lago. “President Trump is the only leader fighting for the Constitution and to protect the American people from being abused by those who want to destroy our system of government,” Cheung said.
In the classified documents case, federal investigators have gathered new and significant evidence that after the subpoena was delivered, Trump looked through the contents of some of the boxes of documents in his home, apparently out of a desire to keep certain things in his possession, the people familiar with the investigation said.
Investigators now suspect, based on witness statements, security camera footage, and other documentary evidence, that boxes including classified material were moved from a Mar-a-Lago storage area after the subpoena was served, and that Trump personally examined at least some of those boxes, these people said. While Trump’s team returned some documents with classified markings in response to the subpoena, a later FBI search found more than 100 additional classified items that had not been turned over.
The application for court approval for that search said agents were pursuing evidence of violations of statutes including 18 U.S.C. 1519, which makes it a crime to alter, destroy, mutilate or conceal a document or tangible object “with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence the investigation or proper administration of any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency.”
A key element in most obstruction cases is intent, because to bring such a charge, prosecutors have to be able to show that whatever actions were taken were performed to try to hinder or block an investigation. In the Trump case, prosecutors and federal agents are trying to gather any evidence pointing to the motivation for Trump’s actions.
The Washington Post reported in October that Trump’s valet, Walt Nauta, had told investigators that he moved boxes at Mar-a-Lago at the former president’s instruction after the subpoena was issued. Smith’s team has video surveillance footage corroborating that account, The Post reported, and considers the evidence significant.
The aide who stayed: Trump valet Walt Nauta, key witness in Mar-a-Lago probe
In addition, the people familiar with the investigation said, authorities have another category of evidence that they consider particularly helpful as they reconstruct events from last spring: emails and texts of Molly Michael, an assistant to the former president who followed him from the White House to Florida before she eventually left that job last year. Michael’s written communications have provided investigators with a detailed understanding of the day-to-day activity at Mar-a-Lago at critical moments, these people said.
Michael’s lawyer did not respond to requests for comment.
Investigators have also amassed evidence indicating that Trump told others to mislead government officials in early 2022, before the subpoena, when the National Archives and Records Administration was working with the Justice Department to try to recover a wide range of papers, many of them not classified, from Trump’s time as president, the people familiar with the investigation said. While such alleged conduct may not constitute a crime, it could serve as evidence of the former president’s intent.
These people said prosecutors have collected evidence that Trump ignored requests from multiple advisers to return the documents to the archives over a period of a year, that he asked advisers and lawyers to release false statements claiming he had returned all documents, and that he grew angry after being subpoenaed for the documents.
Investigators also have evidence that Trump sought advice from other lawyers and advisers on how he could keep documents after being told by some on his team that he could not, people familiar with the investigation said. They have collected evidence that multiple advisers warned Trump that trying to keep the documents could be legally perilous.
As investigators piece together what happened in May and June of last year, they have been asking witnesses if Trump showed classified documents, including maps, to political donors, people familiar with those conversations said.
Such alleged conduct could demonstrate Trump’s habits when it came to classified documents, and what may have motivated him to want to keep the papers. The Post has previously reported that Trump told aides he did not want to return documents and other items from his presidency — which by law are supposed to remain in government custody — because he believed they belonged to him.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...on-classified/
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
ALL 34 counts against Trump are FELONIES.
Former President Donald Trump has hired a top white-collar criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, Todd Blanche, as his lead counsel to handle the Manhattan district attorney’s criminal indictment of the former president.
Blanche, until recently a partner at law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, said in an email obtained by POLITICO that he was resigning from the firm because “I have been asked to represent Trump in the recently charged DA case, and after much thought/consideration, I have decided it is the best thing for me to do and an opportunity I should not pass up.”
Blanche declined to comment Monday. Trump is also represented in the case by Susan Necheles and Joe Tacopina, lawyers who represented him during the investigation that led to the indictment.
Blanche, a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office, has previously represented Trump ally Paul Manafort as well as Igor Fruman, a onetime associate of Rudy Giuliani who pleaded guilty in a campaign finance case brought by the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office.
In particular, Blanche’s representation of Manafort may have caught Trump’s eye. Blanche led the successful effort to get mortgage fraud and other charges brought by the Manhattan district attorney’s office dropped after arguing they would amount to double jeopardy because the state charges covered the same conduct for which Manafort had already been tried on a federal level.
Manafort was charged by the previous Manhattan district attorney, Cy Vance, a Democrat.
Blanche was vocal during that effort in calling the indictment of Manafort “politically motivated,” a charge Trump has also levied at the current district attorney, Alvin Bragg, also a Democrat.
In his resignation email, Blanche said he was unable to take Trump as a client while remaining at Cadwalader, New York City’s oldest law firm and one of its most elite. “Obviously, doing this as a partner at Cadwalader was not an option, so I have had to make the difficult choice to leave the firm.”
Last edited by S Landreth; 04-04-2023 at 03:21 PM.
The loser had made his appearance
Trump surrenders at Manhattan court
Former President Trump has arrived at a Manhattan courthouse where he is set to appear Tuesday afternoon to be arraigned on criminal charges, a history-making event.
TRUMP UNDER ARREST
Former President Trump surrendered Tuesday at the Manhattan district attorney's office ahead his arraignment on charges related to a 2016 hush money payment.
Why it matters: Trump, who is campaigning for the 2024 election, is the first president to have ever faced criminal charges.
Driving the news: Trump entered the Manhattan Criminal Court around 1:24 p.m. EST, marking his official arrest.
- The former president, minutes before he entered the New York courthouse, posted on his Truth Social account: "heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can't believe this is happening in America. MAGA!"
Trump was indicted Thursday by a New York grand jury convened by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.
- The former president arrived in New York City on Monday to stay overnight at Trump Tower ahead of his arraignment at the Manhattan criminal courthouse.
- He has indicated that he will deliver remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday evening following his court appearance.
Ahead of the expected arraignment, throngs of pro- and anti-Trump protesters flocked to the Manhattan courthouse.
- Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and George Santos (R-N.Y.) also appeared in lower Manhattan in support of Trump.
- New York City police had stepped up security measures ahead of Tuesday, though city officials repeatedly said there were "no credible threats."
- Steel barricades went up near both Trump Tower and the courthouse as security officials prepared for protests.
Meanwhile, Trump is not expected to take a plea deal if the case goes to trial, his attorney has said.
- Acting New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing Trump's case, in a Monday night ruling banned video cameras from the courtroom.
President Biden is not focused on today’s arraignment and does not plan to comment specifically on the case, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday.
Background: The charges are expected more than four years after Michael Cohen, the lawyer who handled the payment for Trump, was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison. He has been a witness against the former president.
- After his conviction, Cohen alleged that Trump had ordered him to pay Daniels $130,000 in hush money just before the 2016 election and later reimbursed him for it through the Trump Organization as legal expenses.
The big picture: The historic indictment of the only president to be impeached twice has unified the Republican Party around him. Nearly every Republican in elected office has defended Trump and decried the indictment as politically motivated — with only a few prominent GOP defectors.
- Trump has been counting on the pomp and drama of Tuesday to cast him as the victim of an overzealous, politically motivated prosecutor.
- While that message is playing well with GOP voters, a new CNN poll indicates that 60% of Americans approve of the indictment.
Last edited by S Landreth; 05-04-2023 at 01:57 AM.
Court releases Trump indictment
Former President Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Read the full indictment here.
https://www.manhattanda.org/wp-conte...Indictment.pdf
statement of facts: https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploa...-Trump-SOF.pdf
Some good parts
2. From August 2015 to December 2017, the Defendant orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the Defendant’s electoral prospects. In order to execute the unlawful scheme, the participants violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York. The participants also took steps that mischaracterized, for tax purposes, the true nature of the payments made in furtherance of the scheme.
3. One component of this scheme was that, at the Defendant’s request, a lawyer who then worked for the Trump Organization as Special Counsel to Defendant (“Lawyer A”), covertly paid $130,000 to an adult film actress shortly before the election to prevent her from publicizing a sexual encounter with the Defendant. Lawyer A made the $130,000 payment through a shell corporation he set up and funded at a bank in Manhattan. This payment was illegal, and Lawyer A has since pleaded guilty to making an illegal campaign contribution and served time in prison. Further, false entries were made in New York business records to effectuate this payment, separate and apart from the New York business records used to conceal the payment.
THE SCHEME
- The Catch and Kill Scheme to Suppress Negative Information
7. During and in furtherance of his candidacy for President, the Defendant and others agreed to identify and suppress negative stories about him. Two parties to this agreement have admitted to committing illegal conduct in connection with the scheme. In August 2018, Lawyer A pleaded guilty to two federal crimes involving illegal campaign contributions, and subsequently served time in prison. In addition, in August 2018, American Media, Inc. (“AMI”), a media company that owned and published magazines and supermarket tabloids including the National Enquirer, admitted in a non-prosecution agreement that it made a payment to a source of a story to ensure that the source “did not publicize damaging allegations” about the Defendant “before the 2016 presidential election and thereby influence that election.”
B. Suppressing the Doorman’s Story
10. A few months later, in or about October or November 2015, the AMI CEO learned that a former Trump Tower doorman (the “Doorman”) was trying to sell information regarding a child that the Defendant had allegedly fathered out of wedlock. At the AMI CEO’s direction, AMI negotiated and signed an agreement to pay the Doorman $30,000 to acquire exclusive rights to the story. AMI falsely characterized this payment in AMI’s books and records, including in its general ledger. AMI purchased the information from the Doorman without fully investigating his claims, but the AMI CEO directed that the deal take place because of his agreement with the Defendant and Lawyer A.
C. Suppressing Woman 1’s Account
12. About five months before the presidential election, in or about June 2016, the editor-in-chief of the National Enquirer and AMI’s Chief Content Officer (the “AMI Editor-inChief”) contacted Lawyer A about a woman (“Woman 1”) who alleged she had a sexual relationship with the Defendant while he was married. The AMI Editor-in-Chief updated Lawyer A regularly about the matter over text message and by telephone. The Defendant did not want this information to become public because he was concerned about the effect it could have on his candidacy. Thereafter, the Defendant, the AMI CEO, and Lawyer A had a series of discussions about who should pay off Woman 1 to secure her silence.
13. AMI ultimately paid $150,000 to Woman 1 in exchange for her agreement not to speak out about the alleged sexual relationship, as well as for two magazine cover features of Woman 1 and a series of articles that would be published under her byline.
much more in the link above
___________
DA Alvin Bragg holds news conference after Trump arraignment
Last edited by S Landreth; 05-04-2023 at 03:34 AM.
This whole circus surrounding Trump makes Thai politics look sane in comparison. The circus will go on well into 2024. The NY phase of the circus is just the first of far more serious charges to follow. The most amazing part is through it all this con man could again be the Republican nominee. America has become the laughing stock of the world!
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect,"
Baldy orange cunto is just about to do one of his "rally" things in Mar-a-Lago, surrounded by the usual bunch of maga twats.
Hunter Biden's Laptop!
Better than "I am a fucking crook" I suppose.
George Soros, etc.
This fucking orange haired windbag and his post-arrest address to his equally retarded worshippers has taken over news channels all over the world. Bullet points for those who didn't see the first 30 seconds of it include:
Millions and millions.
Perfect phone call.
Stormy Daniels.
Stolen election.
Chynah.
Billions and billions.
Like nobody has ever seen before.
Most votes of any sitting President.
Hunter Biden's laptop.
RINO'S.
A lot of people are saying.
And at that point, it was time to watch the Weather channel.
"President Fraud"
The next in-person hearing date for Trump’s case in New York is set for December 4.
little bit below
Next, I would like to briefly address this defendant's recent public statements threatening our city, our justice system, our courts, and our office.
Over the past several weeks and longer, this defendant has made a series of threatening and escalating communications on social media and on other public remarks. This includes irresponsible social media posts that target various individuals involved in this matter, and even their families.
His public statements have, among other things, threatened potential death and destruction, and that is a quote, and world war three, another quote, if these charges were brought and he was indicted.
They have directly addressed the grand jury and disparaged witnesses who have purportedly participated in our investigation.
Defendant has also directed a series of threatening public statements to the District Attorney's Office, including posting a picture that depicts Mr. Trump wielding a baseball bat at the head of the District Attorney.
These comments and posts have led to extensive public safety measures being put into place by a number of law enforcement agencies around the city, including here at the courthouse starting several weeks ago.
At this point, I'm going to hand the Court copies of several of the defendant's recent online posts as an example. Sorry, one moment.
(Handed to Court and counsel).
CONROY: I'm also handing copies to counsel. These posts are examples of this kind of threatening rhetoric.
We have significant concern about the potential danger this kind of rhetoric poses to our city, to potential jurors and witnesses, and to the judicial process.
What these kinds of posts will not do, is deter the New York County District Attorney's Office from carrying out its critical public safety mission professionally, and evenhandedly in connection with every single investigation and prosecution we have handled, including this one.
___________
The New York judge overseeing the Manhattan district attorney’s case against Donald Trump warned the former president on Tuesday to “refrain” from social media posts with the potential to incite violence.
Judge Juan Merchan’s warning comes after Trump called for protests ahead of his indictment last month and suggested that charges could result in “potential death & destruction.”
Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche said in court during Tuesday’s arraignment that the former president had “responded forcefully” and was “frustrated” and “upset” by the request.
“Imagine anybody in this courtroom who was in that position,” Blanche said, adding, “Every one of these posts are not threats.”
Blanche also criticized Michael Cohen’s media appearances. Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney and longtime fixer, made the 2016 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels that resulted in the criminal charges brought against the former president on Tuesday.
The judge told Trump’s legal team that he does not “share your view” on the former president’s social media posts, but asked the Manhattan district attorney’s office to talk with its witnesses as well.
“There’s only so much we can do,” Assistant District Attorney Chris Conroy said in response, adding they have talked with Cohen and will continue to do so.
Extra
Vance said he had begun probing the hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, but said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York caused his office to “stand down.”
“I was asked ... to stand down on our investigation, which had commenced involving the Trump Organization,” Vance said.
“As someone who respects that office a great deal and believing that they may have perhaps the best laws to investigate, I did so.”
Last edited by S Landreth; 05-04-2023 at 12:24 PM.
Fox News guest accidentally calls Donald Trump 'president fraud' in major slip
Fox News guest accidentally calls Donald Trump 'president fraud' in major slip | indy100
Trump is just another American idiot who will die eventually.
But what about Republicans? Those Americans are idiots for life.
Scary movie!
Although the news yesterday was good,
District Attorney Bragg Announces 34-Count Felony Indictment of Former President Donald J. Trump – Manhattan District Attorney’s Office
this might even be better,.........
A federal appeals court in Washington has denied former President Donald Trump's attempt to shield his one-time chief of staff Mark Meadows and other top aides from testifying before a grand jury in special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into Trump's actions around the 2020 presidential election and his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack.
Trump had appealed D.C. District Chief Judge Beryl Howell's rejection in March of his claims of executive privilege over the testimony of his former advisers. Howell's decision had compelled a group of aides to testify in the probe.
The sealed case appeared on the appeals court's federal docket in late March with little identifying information, followed by a sealed emergency request on Monday that the appeals court intervene before the aides were called to testify. Tuesday's order — from Judges Patricia Millett, Robert Wilkins, and Gregory Katsas — indicated that the request had been denied. Grand jury proceedings remain shielded from public view under federal law.
The decision came as Trump was about to be arraigned in Manhattan Tuesday on charges related to a "hush money" payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
While some of the former president's aides — including former national security adviser Robert O'Brien and top White House aide Stephen Miller — have complied with subpoenas from Smith's office to appear before a grand jury, they have not testified about their interactions and exchanges with Trump, citing possible executive privilege concerns, according to people familiar with the matter. Both men, spotted in the federal courthouse where the special counsel convenes grand juries in the Trump matters over the last few months, were included in Howell's March 15 order.
Trump has unsuccessfully sought to shield many of his former White House aides from special counsel subpoenas, arguing to Howell that his conversations and communications with aides while he was president are protected from scrutiny. Howell – whose term as chief judge expired last month – largely rejected those claims and compelled many of the witnesses to testify.
The ruling comes as the new chief judge, James Boasberg, ruled this week that Trump's claims of executive privilege over former Vice President Mike Pence's testimony did not hold up. Boasberg ordered Pence to testify about Trump's effort to reverse the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, rejecting the former president's arguments. The judge did in part rule in Pence's favor, ordering prosecutors to refrain from asking Pence about his role as president of the Senate during the Capitol riot, which Pence argued was constitutionally protected by the separation of powers.
Pence said he is consulting with legal counsel on the next steps and will follow the law.
The former president has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has criticized Smith's investigation as partisan.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith, a former federal prosecutor, to oversee the Jan. 6 investigation and the Justice Department's probe into the mishandling of classified documents from Trump's time in office.
Evan Corcoran, Trump's defense attorney, was forced to testify before a grand jury in the records case on Friday after Howell ruled that attorney-client privilege did not apply.
A spokesperson for the former president did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Republicans really are between a rock and a hard place.
If he runs as their nominee in 2024, he'll never win now.
If he decides to run as an independent just to trouser some more of that "campaign" money, the Dems will be dancing in the streets.
It's interested reading about how many people think Bragg should be elaborating on the charges against baldy orange cunto.
Seems to me he's stated that baldy "falsified business records" to cover up "another crime", without actually saying what that crime was.
No-one seems to consider that the crime in question may be a federal case and not in Bragg's purview.
Bear in mind he's facing 20-odd investigations and lawsuits, and Letitia James has referred hers to the IRS and Federal Prosecutors.
Looks like he might be spending a fair bit of 2024 in court.
The next post may be brought to you by my little bitch Spamdreth
Should you get bored of New York, remember what Ray Charles said: "Georgi's always on my mind"
Trump’s legal drama could soon continue in Georgia
April 5, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDTDonald Trump’s appearance in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday marked a singular moment in American history — the first time a former or sitting U.S. president has been indicted on criminal charges.
But Trump’s legal peril is far from over. Among those closely watching the proceedings were state and local officials in Georgia, where Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis (D) is expected to announce in coming weeks whether she will file charges in connection to efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election results.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...election-case/
error
Stormy Daniels - OMG! Thank you to everyone for the love and support for my @piersmorgan interview today. I think it was the most extensive one I've ever done and it laid to rest a lot of misinformation. https://twitter.com/StormyDaniels/st...81842482745344
Stormy Daniels is “absolutely” willing to testify in Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial, she said in an interview with Piers Morgan, her first comments since the former president pleaded not guilty to charges related to a hush-money payment scheme intended to silence the adult film star.
“Having them call me in and put me on the stand legitimizes my story and who I am. And if they don’t, it almost feels like they’re hiding me,” Daniels told TalkTV’s Morgan in an interview that aired Thursday. “And people automatically assume – I would – that, ‘Oh, she must not be a good witness, she’s not credible.’”
“So there’s no doubt, if they ask you to testify, you will testify?” Morgan asked Daniels.
“Oh, absolutely,” she replied.
In the interview aired Thursday, Daniels also said she doesn’t think Trump should serve jail time if he’s convicted in the case. The felony charges brought against Trump carry a sentence of a minimum of one year and as much as four years, though if convicted, Trump could be sentenced to probation.
“Specific to my case, I don’t think that his crimes against me are worthy of incarceration,” she told Morgan.
And she described how she felt when she saw Trump in court on Tuesday, telling Morgan: “The king has been dethroned, he’s no longer untouchable.”
“And nobody should be untouchable. It doesn’t matter what your job description is, whether you’re the president. Like you should be held responsible for your actions,” she said.
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