It's impossible to exaggerate just how badly the gag order hearing went for both Trump and lead attorney Todd Blanche.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 · 8:01:50 AM PDT · Mark Sumner
In just a few minutes, Blanche was forced to admit he had no case law to support his position, that he was speculating on the motivation of witnesses, needled the judge with a statement about “two systems of justice in this courtroom,” and got a warning that he was losing all credibility with the court. And this is the guy Trump is counting on to lead this case over weeks of testimony.
In a lot of ways, any fine resulting from this morning is going to be the very least of the damage. This. Was. Brutal.
Trump Is Unindicted Co-conspirator in 2020 Michigan Fake Electors Probe
by Marshall Cohen
April 24, 2024
Introduction:
(CNN) Former President Donald Trump is an unindicted co-conspirator in the Michigan attorney general’s probe into the attempts to overturn the 2020 election in that state, an investigator testified Wednesday.
The investigator also said the list of unindicted co-conspirators includes ex-Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and former Trump campaign lawyer Jenna Ellis.
The revelations came at a pretrial hearing in Lansing for some of Michigan’s fake electors, who have been charged by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in her investigation into the attempts to subvert the 2020 election.
Nessel, a Democrat, charged 16 fake Republican electors from Michigan last summer. CNN reported in December that the investigation was ongoing and appeared to be expanding. One of those charged already agreed to cooperate with Nessel’s prosecutors, in exchange for the charges being dropped. The remaining 15 defendants have all pleaded not guilty.
Special agent Howard Shock, one of the lead investigators in Nessel’s probe, was asked Wednesday in court by a defense attorney for one of the fake electors to confirm whether specific people are co-conspirators. Shock answered “yes” when the lawyer asked about Trump, Meadows, Giuliani and Ellis.
Donald Trump Jr. Text Detailed in Arizona Indictment
Source: Newsweek
Published Apr 25, 2024 at 5:47 AM EDT | Updated Apr 25, 2024 at 8:07 AM EDT
Donald Trump Jr. texted White House chief of staff Mark Meadows about a plan to use alternative Republican electors, messages obtained by Arizona prosecutors have shown. The text was sent just two days after the 2020 presidential election and while votes were still being counted.
Although Meadows and Trump Jr.'s names are redacted in the document, the same text was obtained unredacted in 2022 by the Congressional January 6 Committee. Donald Trump Jr. sent the text on November 5, 2020, two days before media outlets called Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election.
In their criminal complaint, prosecutors say that on November 5, 2020, one of the people indicted in the case received a text that stated that President Donald Trump "should 'urge GOP officials in close states to expose shenanigans and, if necessary, to refuse to seat [Joe] Biden electors in the event of a fake count.'"
"That same day, [Trump's] son texted [Meadows] a more developed plan revolving around the electors," Arizona prosecutors state in a criminal complaint released on Wednesday.
weatheriscool wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 2:01 pm Donald Trump Jr. Text Detailed in Arizona Indictment
Source: Newsweek
Published Apr 25, 2024 at 5:47 AM EDT | Updated Apr 25, 2024 at 8:07 AM EDT
Donald Trump Jr. texted White House chief of staff Mark Meadows about a plan to use alternative Republican electors, messages obtained by Arizona prosecutors have shown. The text was sent just two days after the 2020 presidential election and while votes were still being counted.
Although Meadows and Trump Jr.'s names are redacted in the document, the same text was obtained unredacted in 2022 by the Congressional January 6 Committee. Donald Trump Jr. sent the text on November 5, 2020, two days before media outlets called Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election.
In their criminal complaint, prosecutors say that on November 5, 2020, one of the people indicted in the case received a text that stated that President Donald Trump "should 'urge GOP officials in close states to expose shenanigans and, if necessary, to refuse to seat [Joe] Biden electors in the event of a fake count.'"
"That same day, [Trump's] son texted [Meadows] a more developed plan revolving around the electors," Arizona prosecutors state in a criminal complaint released on Wednesday.
Trump found in contempt for violating gag order in hush money
The judge in Trump’s N.Y. hush money trial Tuesday found the former president in contempt for his critical public statements as proceedings entered their third week.
“The court finds the people have met their burden of proof and have demonstrated contempt. Mr. Trump is fined $1,000 on each of those two,” Justice Juan Merchan said in his written decision, referring to one set of alleged gag order violations.
