Trump supporters and conspiracy theory - Part 2

[Rick Plant]

Trump likely to face indictments from DOJ and Georgia this summer: legal expert



A Georgia prosecutor’s announcement of a timeline for a decision in connection with an investigation of Donald Trump suggests the former president’s legal troubles are likely to grow this summer, a prominent legal expert said on Friday.

Ryan Goodman, a NYU law school professor and former special counsel at the Department of Defense, said Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ announcement that any grand jury indictments would come during the first three weeks of August suggests an indictment in the Georgia election interference case is a foregone conclusion, and that special counsel Jack Smith is likely to slap the former president with indictments, too.

Willis indicated that she plans to have most of her staffers working remotely and asked judges not to schedule trials and in-person hearings during an Aug. 7-18 window, along with heightened security.

Goodman during an appearance on CNN’s Out Front with Erin Burnett said Willis’ announcement is a “strong indication that there will be an indictment of the former President Trump during that period because these are security measures of a scale that it's difficult for me to conceive of any other explanation, it’s the best explanation and it's difficult to conceive of another one.”

Goodman also said it’s more likely that Smith, who is investigating Trump over his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and the former president’s handling of classified documents, will go first.

“I think it makes it much more likely that the DOJ will go beforehand because now they have a pretty good window. They have an exact date that they know which is the mark. And I would imagine that their incentives are to go first, that they want to if they can,” Goodman said.

“Especially because of the Alvin Bragg situation,” Burnett interjected.

“Exactly. So that avoids that kind of situation again. They would like to have the narrative be about whatever it is that they want to present, they don't want the narrative, I would imagine, to be confused with some other kind of case, and whatever that comes with whatever baggage that comes with, present their case, to the public has what on its own terms. Now they have enough space to do that.”

Watch:

'Locked in': Legal expert details why Fani Willis' letter to judge is very bad news for Trump



According to MSNBC legal analyst, a letter sent by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to Fulton Superior Court chief judge Ural Glanville on Thursday explaining unusual staffing plans for August means not only is a possible Donald Trump indictment coming, but also that, with the letter, she has put herself in the position of facing the judge's ire if she changes her mind.

Speaking with host Ana Cabrera, the criminal defense attorney stated the Thursday letter which announced plans for 70 percent of her staff to work remotely during a three-week period up to August 18, with her office only populated by herself, top aides and armed investigators is a sign that she has "locked in" the dates for a Trump indictment announcement.

He also told the host that the specifics of the letter mean Willis has put herself in an awkward position if she postpones her plans for that time frame.

Noting that Willis has also asked the judge to not have any trials going on at the courthouse during the definitive period, Cevalos explained, "Fani Willis is asking the court to devote, clear its resources, clear the calendar, that can only mean that she plans on big news."

"Whether that means an indictment of Trump himself or Trump-adjacent individuals, we obviously still don't know, but that is a very clear message that she has set a deadline," he continued.

"I mean, she's almost locked herself into that deadline," he remarked. "Imagine if she asked judges, judges who she works with every day in and out, to clear their calendar for one month and then she doesn't indict or use those resources that month, and instead does it a couple of months later; those judges would not be very happy."

"She must be pretty certain that she's not going to burn them, not going to burn the courts and that she's going to stick to this deadline. It's a rather large window, three weeks, but it is a window she's committed to," he added.

[Rick Plant]

Georgia D.A. investigating Trump hints at time frame for charges
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/19/fulton-county-georgia-trump-investigation-charges-august/

[Rick Plant]

Rudy Giuliani's lawyer in civil case quits: 'He's not paying me'

Former Montgomery County district attorney Bruce Castor, who recently represented Rudy Giuliani in a civil suit, filed a motion in court this Tuesday to be removed as Giuliani's lawyer in the case, The Inquirer reported.

“He’s not cooperating, and he’s not paying me," Castor explained.

Giuliani was named in a lawsuit by a Delaware County voting-machine supervisor who says conspiracy theories about the 2020 election made him a target of hatred.

"Castor initially agreed to serve as Giuliani’s local lawyer but a lawyer from Texas was supposed to take over from there. That didn’t happen, and Castor, according to his motion, reluctantly tried to defend Giuliani," The Inquirer's report stated. "The motion, which meticulously recounts Castor’s four decades in law and politics, dabbles in a bit of intrigue in two sections."

Giuliani's license to practice law was suspended in New York in June 2021 over false claims he spread in Pennsylvania about the 2020 election.

Read the full report over at The Inquirer: https://www.inquirer.com/politics/clout/bruce-castor-rudy-giuliani-lawyer-donald-trump-20230519.html



Trump's lawyers 'are dropping like flies' as he gets closer to indictment: legal expert



Reacting to a report that another one of Donald Trump attorneys has walked away from his client, one legal expert noted that as the possibility of a wave of indictments grows closer, the former president has fewer and fewer lawyers sticking around.

Earlier in the week it was announced that Tim Parlatore, who has been a major player in Trump's defense over the stolen government documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago is stepping aside.

In a statement, the attorney claimed, "My departure was a personal choice and does not reflect upon the case, as I believe strongly the (Justice Department) team is engaging in misconduct to pursue an investigation of conduct that is not criminal."

Palm Beach State Attorney Dave Aronberg said on Friday that he's puzzled at what is going on among Trump's legal team and wondered where another high-profile legal hire by the former president has disappeared to.

Appearing on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Aronberg stated, "What stood out with the departure of Tim Parlatore is that he is the same lawyer that wrote a letter to Congress setting up Trump's defenses. He said it was Trump's aides, not Trump, who hastily packed up the boxes and shipped them down to Florida -- Trump's hands were supposedly clean."

"Then Trump went on that live [CNN] town hall the other day and said, 'No, no, I did it and had every right to do so,'" he elaborated. "I think the reason why he withdrew, Parlatore, is because he was exasperated with his client along with perhaps knowing that he would become a witness and possibly a defendant in the case himself -- he testified about before the grand jury."

"Here's the other thing that I'm wondering about: the New York Times also reported there were two attorneys left," he continued. "You've got James Trusty and John Rowley leading the defense. What happened to Chris Kise? Chris Kise is a former Florida solicitor general, very well respected; he got a $3 million retainer up front and then he was sidelined by Donald Trump because Trump didn't agree with his advice. Kise wanted Trump to be more conciliatory, more cooperative with DOJ rather than confrontational."

"So, instead, Trump went his own way, the confrontational approach, and look what is happening now," he explained. "With each misstep, he's getting closer and closer to an indictment, and his lawyers are dropping like flies."

Watch:

[Rick Plant]

'A murky mess': Combative Rudy Giuliani blistered by judge for balking at turning over documents



On Friday, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani received a dressing down from a U.S. District Court judge for slowing down the discovery process in a civil trial, with Giuliani complaining about having to turn over information about his finances and worth.

According to a report from Politico's Josh Gerstein, Judge Beryl Howell grew testy with the former mayor and Donald Trump lawyer during the "unusual" three-hour hearing and expressed exasperation with his delay tactics.

Gerstein reported, "Howell repeatedly expressed irritation at having to expend considerable time on the discovery dispute, which she suggested should have been worked out by the parties," with the report adding she was incensed by "Giuliani’s efforts to search for relevant emails and messages" calling it a "murky mess" and adding, "I can’t say I’m happy about it."

The case in question centers on two Georgia poll workers who claim Giuliani defamed them with accusations of election fraud during the 2020 presidential election.

On Friday Howell ordered Giuliani to hand over a "detailed accounting of his finances and net worth," and the Politico report notes that Giuliani continued to complain to the judge despite his attorney, Joseph Sibley, trying to rein him in.

"The former mayor said complying with the document demands in the poll workers’ libel suit was complicated by the fact that the FBI seized all of his electronics in April 2021, as prosecutors investigated potential violations of foreign-agent laws in connection with Giuliani’s work in Ukraine," Gerstein wrote before adding the "indignant" Giuliani exclaimed to the judge, "I’ve been dealing with this for 50 years. I understand the obligation. There’s nothing I want to hide. I’d like them to see everything. … Not being perfect doesn’t mean you’re deleting things. I don’t delete things.”

Read More Here: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/19/rudy-giuliani-election-defamation-suit-00097983



E. Jean Carroll attorney puts Trump on notice



In an interview with Slate's Dahlia Lithwick, the attorney for E. Jean Carroll, who just won her client a $5 million judgment against Donald Trump, dropped a few bombshells on the former president including hinting at future legal problems for him as well as the high cost of not paying up promptly.

Speaking with Lithwick, Roberta Kaplan claimed she has been paying close attention to what Trump has said about her client since he lost the civil case that affirmed he not only defamed the New York writer but also that he sexually assaulted her decades ago in a department store dressing room.

Asked about Trump's comments during his highly controversial CNN town hall, where he called Carroll a “wack job,” claimed the trial was “a rigged deal,” as well as asking the laughing pro-Trump audience, "What kind of a woman meets somebody, and brings them up, and within minutes you're playing hanky panky in a dressing room?" Kaplan said his comments were duly noted and could come into play if she files another defamation civil suit.

"I knew he would continue to deny it. But once the jury came back and the CNN Town Hall was on, we knew they were going to ask about it. And we knew he wasn’t going to say, 'OK, now I admit it, I was wrong. I’m so sorry E. Jean, that I did that to you. We knew that wasn’t gonna happen," she explained. "I think I was a little stunned that he used exactly the same language. He basically repeated the defamation in ways that make it very easy for us to not have to prove a future case on the merits, because we’re gonna get what’s called collateral estoppel or issue preclusion. So that wasn’t maybe wisest thing for him to do."

Adding, "I’m watching to see if he keeps doing it, though. I mean, I think the threat of [losing] more and more money may ultimately tone down what he says at some point," she continued to explain that the former president is on the clock to pay the $5 million that jury ordered him to cough up.

"I think he understands money. One thing Donald Trump understands is money, and $5 million for Donald Trump is not nothing. And there’s really no viable appellate argument. So he’s going to have to pay that $5 million with interest sooner than he thinks he’s gonna have to pay it," she explained before adding, "He’ll have to pay interest from the time of the judgment. Yeah. That’s 9 percent … I’m not even sure he’s got $5 million in liquidity. He may have to sell something to pay you the $5 million."

You can read more from the interview here: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/05/e-jean-carroll-roberta-kaplan-interview-trump-amicus.html

[Rick Plant]

Even Republicans know Donnie is finished.

Republican senator: Trump will lose 2024 presidential race if nominated
Bill Cassidy says 2022 midterms showed Trump’s weakness
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/21/republican-senator-bill-cassidy-trump-lose-2024-race

Top Trump attorney who played role in DOJ's documents probe departs Trump's legal team
Tim Parlatore also testified before the grand jury in the probe.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/top-trump-attorney-played-role-dojs-documents-probe/story?id=99395690

Former Trump lawyer accuses current Trump lawyer of interfering with classified documents searches
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/former-trump-lawyer-accuses-current-trump-lawyer-interfering/story?id=99483660

Prosecutor suggests any indictments in Trump election investigation would likely come in August
https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-d6191037a8993d653686e679bf5e8ea5

Hear indicted Trump aide caught on tape blasting ‘criminal’ Trump colleagues

Former Trump White House aide Peter Navarro caught on tape blasting Trump's inner circle for failing to fully fund the effort to steal the election. Navarro also alleged they cared more about enriching themselves. MSNBC Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber reports on this recording from a former Fox News staffer who is now suing the network. Melber reports there is no public charges against any of the officials Navarro cites, as Navarro himself faced criminal indictment and awaits trial.

Watch:

[Rick Plant]

Jack Smith subpoenaed Trump’s international financial records months ago. He no doubt already has them and has investigating it for awhile. Ask yourself why this information is finally coming out publicly now. That’s the real story here.

[Rick Plant]

Prosecutors Cast Wider Net Into Trump’s Foreign Deals Than Previously Reported

The special counsel investigating Donald Trump’s potential mishandling of classified documents after he left the White House issued a subpoena to the Trump Organization seeking documents related to overseas real estate deals going back to when he was sworn into office, a wider net than previously reported, according to The New York Times. Sources close to the matter told the newspaper that the subpoena sought details on deals made since 2017 in seven countries: China, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. It was not immediately clear what exactly the federal prosecutors were hunting for with the subpoena, when it was issued, or what material the Trump Organization had turned over, if any. The Times speculated that special counsel Jack Smith could be looking for links between Trump’s foreign deals and the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. Several of the records recovered from the Florida estate by federal agents last year were related to Middle Eastern nations, a person familiar with Smith’s work said.

Read More Here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/us/politics/trump-records-foreign-deals.html



Special counsel subpoenas Trump Organization for foreign records in documents case

The special counsel's investigation into former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents has subpoenaed records from the Trump Organization, including foreign financial records from seven countries, The New York Times reported Monday.

"It remains unclear precisely what the prosecutors were hoping to find by sending the subpoena to Mr. Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, or when it was issued," the Times reported. "But the subpoena suggests that investigators have cast a wider net than previously understood as they scrutinize whether he broke the law in taking sensitive government materials with him upon leaving the White House and then not fully complying with demands for their return."

Special counsel Jack Smith has been investigating the mishandling of government documents by the former president. Among the documents that were allegedly taken by Trump were classified pieces of information that revealed international secrets as well as the sources and methods to access them.

The Trump Organization has real estate licensing and development deals in China, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, the Times reported.

"The push by Mr. Smith’s prosecutors to gain insight into the former president’s foreign business was part of a subpoena — previously reported by The New York Times — that was sent to the Trump Organization and sought records related to Mr. Trump’s dealings with a Saudi-backed golf venture known as LIV Golf, which is holding tournaments at some of his golf clubs."

Read More Here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/us/politics/trump-records-foreign-deals.html



Trump attorney kept incriminating notes about classified documents — and prosecutors have them



Donald Trump's lawyer told the former president he could not hold onto classified materials after he was ordered to hand them over, and federal prosecutors have proof.

Attorney Evan Corcoran found about 40 classified documents in the storage room at Mar-a-Lago last June but told the Justice Department that no further materials were at the private residence, which later was shown to be false after the FBI returned in August with a warrant and seized 101 classified documents, reported The Guardian.

Corcoran preserved that warning in his contemporaneous notes, which prosecutors showed to a grand jury after an appeals court allowed attorney-client privilege to be pierced because they found Trump might have used his attorney's advice to commit a crime.

Prosecutors have zeroed in on Trump valet Walt Nauta, who told investigators the former president told him to move boxes from the storage room before and after the subpoena was issued for the documents' return, and surveillance video shows him doing just that, although there are some gaps in the footage.

The notes show that Corcoran told the valet about the subpoena before he started looking for the classified documents because the attorney needed him to unlock the storage room, and they also show that Nauta offered to help him look through the boxes.

Corcoran declined and told the valet to remain outside the storage room, but his search lasted several days -- much longer than expected.

The notes also suggest the storage room might have been left unattended for some periods while the search was conducted while Corcoran took breaks to walk to the nearby pool area.

Corcoran described Trump's facial expressions and other reactions when they discussed the subpoena, and Trump reportedly was irritated by the high level of detail in his attorney's notes, which he only learned about after they were subpoenaed by prosecutors.

Read More Here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/22/trump-warning-classified-documents-mar-a-lago