Trump judge throws out six charges in Georgia election interference case

Amelia Neath has the story:

Donald Trump has notified the judge overseeing his imminent criminal trial in New York City that he intends to rely on a legal strategy that pins responsibility for allegedly criminal acts on the advice of his attorneys.

The former president is expected to argue, at least in part, that he can’t be held responsible for allegedly falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to an adult film star because he was acting on the advice of his lawyers.

But the notice from his attorneys on Tuesday claims that Mr Trump won’t make a “formal” use of what is typically called an “advice-of-counsel” defence.

The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s election interference case in Georgia has dismissed several charges against the former president and five of his co-defendants but has stressed that his decision “does not mean the entire indictment is dismissed.”

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee did not throw out the racketeering charges facing all defendants in the sweeping election interference case and has refused to throw out certain “overt acts” in the indictment against them.

The judge dismissed three charges against Mr Trump stemming from an alleged pressure campaign to solicit state officials to violate their oaths of office and subvert Georgia’s election results to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss.

He wrote on Wednesday that Chubb’s participation “has nothing to do with the underlying merits or with favouring any of the parties in the case”.

Mr Greenburg said the bond if “fully collateralized” though did not reveal which assets are being used as collateral.

“As the surety, we don’t take sides, it would be wrong for us to do so and we are in no way supporting the defendant. We are supporting and are part of the justice system plumbing included in this case,” the letter said. “When Chubb issues an appeal bond, it isn’t making judgments about the claims, even when the claims involve alleged reprehensible conduct.”

“I fully realize how polarizing and emotional this case and the defendant are and how easy it would be for Chubb to just say no. However, we support the rule of law and our role in it. We considered this the right thing to do and we frankly left our own personal feelings aside.”

A further letter from the company also clarified that while Mr Greenburg was appointed to a trade advisory panel by the former president in 2018, he also served on the committee under President Joe Biden.

Chubb is a global provider of insurance products and is the largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company in the world.

In order to appeal the judgment in his civil fraud trial, Donald Trump must put up either cash or a bond for the amount of money he owes the state of New York.

Here’s what his lawyer Alina Habba told Newsmax on 20 February about the former president’s ability to pay:

And here she was today on Fox News after a bond was posted for the E Jean Carroll defamation case:

The Trump Save America JFC is fundraising off the back of six charges being dropped from the sprawling racketeering indictment in Fulton County, Georgia against Donald Trump and fourteen co-defendants.

In an email to supporters, the former president said:

A judge in Georgia just dropped SIX CHARGES against me.

The corrupt Fani Willis war being waged against me is unraveling, but the many WITCH HUNTS are still full steam ahead.

There are still charges that remain against me in Georgia.

Joe Biden’s DOJ is STILL coming after me with BOGUS SHAM CHARGES.

And my trial in New York begins at the end of the month.

THIS VICTORY IS HUGE, BUT WE STILL NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER!

Democrats think they can intimidate me. BUT I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!

Before the day is over, I’m calling on ONE MILLION PRO-TRUMP patriots to chip in and say, END THE WITCH HUNT AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP! >

I’ve only been able to hold on because of YOUR SUPPORT!

Biden is coordinating this Election Interference. They’re trying to damage me to win another election.

But remember, it’s not me they’re after.

THEY’RE AFTER YOU – I’M JUST STANDING IN THEIR WAY!

So if you’re SICK of every single Witch Hunt being waged against me, I NEED YOU NOW! >

WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

The Georgia judge overseeing the election interference case against Donald Trump and his co-defendants has thrown out six charges from the original indictment, saying they lack detail and do not give defendants enough time to prepare intelligent defenses.

On Wednesday, Judge Scott McAfee of the Fulton County Superior Court ruled that six of the charges, three of which apply to the former president, should be “quashed.”

Those counts are numbers two, five, six, 23, 28 and 38. All of them are “Solicitation of violation of oath of office by public officer.”

Count two charged Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman and Ray Smith.

Count five charged Mr Trump.

Count six charged Mr Giuliani and Mr Smith.

Count 23 charged Mr Giuliani, Mr Smith and Robert Cheeley.

Count 28 charged Mr Trump and Mark Meadows.

Count 38 charged Mr Trump.

Donald Trump has tapped North Carolina congressman Mark Walker to join his campaign team to work with faith groups and minority communities.

The former president made the announcement on Truth Social this lunchtime:

I’ve asked Congressman Mark Walker to join my Campaign team to work with Faith Groups and Minority Communities, and he has agreed to immediately do so. During his tenure in the U.S. House, Mark led on the FUTURE ACT, launched the HBCU paid internship program on Capitol Hill, and organized the largest ever fly-in for HBCU Chancellors for meetings with our Nation’s top leaders. Congressman Walker is also the only Republican in Congress to have won the prestigious UNCF President’s List Award, and delivered the Commencement Address at one of our Nation’s great HBCUs. He is very well suited for this important work. As a former Pastor, Mark is respected across the Evangelical Communities, and lived out his Faith in Congress. Mark and I had many Wins together, and we look forward to continuing to build bridges to all Communities in our Great Nation, and advancing this important work in the White House. Welcome Mark!

A spokesperson for Mr Walker confirmed to The Washington Post that this means he’s no longer seeking a primary runoff in his district, clearing the way for Trump-backed Addison McDowell to take the seat.

Burgess Everett of Politico notes what a wild few years it was been for Mr Walker:

Seth Meyers has weighed in on Donald Trump’s alleged praise of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, reported in a new analysis of post-Cold War global politics released this week.

“According to a new book, former president Trump has praised Adolf Hitler in private conversation with aides and once said, quote, ‘Hitler did some good things.’” Meyers said in a recent episode of Late Night.

“Oh, come on, I don’t believe he said that once,” the host added, with emphasis on that last word.

Meyers has previously delved into the times that Mr Trump has shown “admiration for dictators” following a comment he made that he would be a dictator on “day one” of his possible second term.

“He used to be pro-choice, now he’s anti-abortion. He used to be for gun control, now he’s against it. But the one thing he’s been consistent on his entire life is his support for dictators,” Meyers said on his show in December.