Trump says attorneys had ‘productive’ meeting with DoJ in Jan 6 probe
Donald Trump’s Save America PAC is reportedly running out of cash as a result of the extensive legal bills his campaign is facing as it fights fires on several fronts.
The PAC began last year with $105m but is now down to just $4m, according to The New York Times, after paying off costly lawyers’ fees picked up defending Mr Trump in a variety of cases concerning everything from his business practices and personal history to his retention of classified documents since leaving the White House.
Meanwhile, Fani Willis, district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, has said that her investigation into the 45th president’s energetic efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the Peach State is “ready to go”, suggesting a potential indictment could be imminent.
Separately, another indictment is also looming from Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who is also probing Mr Trump’s efforts to overturn the vote and his role in inciting the Capitol riot of 6 January 2021. On Tuesday, the grand jury assigned the case met again heightening anticipation.
Whichever materialises first will represent the Republican’s third of the year.
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What is an indictment?
Donald Trump is widely expected to be indicted for a third time this year after receiving a letter from Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith warning him that he is under investigation by a grand jury over his role in inciting the US Capitol riot of 6 January 2021.
This comes after he has already been indicted twice this year – first in New York over the alleged misrepresentation of business records to conceal hush money payments he is accused of making to porn star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election campaign and second over his alleged mishandling of classified documents since leaving the White House, the latter case seeing him become the first former president in American history to be arrested on federal criminal charges.
What’s more, a fourth indictment could soon follow, as Mr Trump is also under investigation by Fani Willis, district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, over his apparent attempt to influence state officials in the immediate aftermath of the 2020 presidential election while the vote count was ongoing in that crucial swing state. Ms Willis has said she will make a charging decision before 1 September 2023.
Oliver O’Connell1 August 2023 21:12
Media jamming hallway outside magistrate judge courtroom awaiting possible indictment
Oliver O’Connell1 August 2023 20:49
Michigan prosecutors charge Trump allies in felonies involving voting machines, illegal ‘testing’
A former Republican attorney general candidate and another supporter of former President Donald Trump have been criminally charged in Michigan in connection with accessing and tampering with voting machines after the 2020 election, according to court records.
Matthew DePerno, a Republican lawyer who was endorsed by Trump in an unsuccessful run for Michigan attorney general last year, was arraigned remotely Tuesday afternoon, according to Richard Lynch, the court administrator for Oakland County’s 6th Circuit.
Lynch also confirmed that Daire Rendon, a former state representative, was also arraigned Tuesday.
Those charged in Michigan are the latest facing legal consequences for alleged crimes committed after embracing Trump’s lie that the 2020 election was stolen.
The charges come as the former president is investigated for election interference in Georgia. Separately, Trump said in mid-July that he is a target of a federal investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
DePerno, who has been named by investigators as a “prime instigator” in the case, has previously denied wrongdoing and has accused the state attorney general of “weaponizing her office.” DePerno could not be reached immediately for comment by phone on Tuesday.
Five vote tabulators were taken from three counties in Michigan to a hotel room, according to documents released last year by Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office. Investigators found that the tabulators were broken into and “tests” were performed on the equipment. They said that DePerno was there.
The charges come as the former president is investigated for election interference in Georgia. Separately, Trump said in mid-July that he is a target of a federal investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
DePerno, who has been named by investigators as a “prime instigator” in the case, has previously denied wrongdoing and has accused the state attorney general of “weaponizing her office.” DePerno could not be reached immediately for comment by phone on Tuesday.
Five vote tabulators were taken from three counties in Michigan to a hotel room, according to documents released last year by Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office. Investigators found that the tabulators were broken into and “tests” were performed on the equipment. They said that DePerno was there.
Associated Press1 August 2023 20:45
Date set for Trump arraignment for superseding indictment in classified documents case
The arraignment for the superseding indictment in USA v Trump (Florida) has been set for Thursday 10 August at 10am in Fort Pierce, Florida before US Magistrate Judge Shaniek Mills Maynard.
The order does not address whether the former president will have to attend in person.
Oliver O’Connell1 August 2023 20:39
DeSantis mocked for dismal turnout at campaign event offering $1 beer
The event, held Saturday in Concord, initially drew approximately two dozen people, according to NBC News. The original price for the event — which allows voters to drink a beer with Mr DeSantis — was set at $50, but was later slashed to $1 in order to bolster turnout.
The event reportedly started a half-hour late, and only 30 people were in attendance.
Graig Graziosi reports on the dismal turnout.
Oliver O’Connell1 August 2023 20:37
Fulton County Sheriff says Trump would likely be treated like every other detainee if indicted in Georgia probe
Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat says if Donald Trump is indicted in the election interference probe by District Attorney Fani Willis, he will likely be booked and photographed like every other detainee.
“It doesn’t matter your status,” said Mr Labat, adding his team would be ready “if an indictment came today”.
Oliver O’Connell1 August 2023 20:16
Georgia prosecutor tells staff to ‘stay alert’ following racist threats
The Black prosecutor overseeing an investigation into Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn election results in Georgia has faced a wave of racist hate mail as the former president faces several likely imminent criminal indictments.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis warned prosecutors to “stay alert” over the next several weeks as her office likely prepares an indictment involving Mr Trump and his allies following efforts to upend the 2020 presidential election.
Oliver O’Connell1 August 2023 20:10
Christie slams ‘billionaire’ Trump for covering legal fees with campaign donations
“Most of the money that middle-class Americans have given to him, he’s spent on his own legal fees,” Mr Christie told CNBC’s Squawk Box.
As Mr Trump’s fiercest critic in the field of Republican presidential candidates, Mr Christie suggested that the supposed billionaire could instead simply sell Trump Tower or one of his planes or golf courses to cover legal costs in the myriad cases he faces as he tries to win back the White House.
“But instead he’s taking $25, $50, $100 from everyday Americans who believe they’re giving it to him to help elect him president. And he’s paying his legal fees,” Mr Christie said.
Oliver O’Connell1 August 2023 19:50
Trump will ‘get drubbed’ in 2024, says conservative legal analyst
Prominent conservative Andrew McCarthy, contributing editor of National Review and a legal analyst on Fox News has dismissed Donald Trump’s prospects in the 2024 presidential election.
Mr McCarthy argues there is nothing redeeming about the former president and voters have already made up their minds.
“The problem for Trump is he has no upside,” he wrote. “He is as known a quantity as has ever sought the presidency. In a normal race, the 46 per cent of Republicans who do not favour Trump could be expected to ‘come home’ in droves in the general election if he is the nominee. That is not true of Trump.”
He continued: “Trump has to make up that support. But from where?”
The former president’s “unfavourability” rating across the general public and outside of the party “hovers around 60 per cent”.
“I simply don’t see how Trump gets to 42 per cent of the electorate,” Mr McCarthy wrote. “The country has already made up its mind about him. From here, there’s no up, only down. If we nominate him, he’s going to get drubbed.”
In comparing the two parties, Mr McCarthy noted that Democrats will stand firmly behind President Joe Biden because they care a lot more about retaining the White House, than any misgivings they have about “his character — or lack thereof”.
Further, he believes that the “chances are better than even” that Mr Biden will not be the nominee, “but whether he is or not, the Democrats — unlike the Republicans — are not going to have a quarter of their base refuse to support the nominee”.
The latest polling suggests a close race between Biden and Trump but Mr McCarthy urges his readers to think about “what the chessboard is going to look like a year from now”.
Oliver O’Connell1 August 2023 19:40