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Republican presidential candidate back on campaign trail after jury verdict finds him guilty on all 34 counts at recent New York hush money trial
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The judge in former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case, Judge Aileen Cannon, declined private requests from federal judges that she step aside from the case after she was assigned to it last year.
The New York Times reports that two more experienced South Florida judges told her it would be best if she passed the case on, but Cannon chose to remain.
Her assignment prompted concerns regarding her limited trial experience and that she had previously intervened in the criminal investigation that led to Trump’s indictment in a way that appeared to favor him.
A series of hearings on motions to dismiss the case, including an attempt to invalidate the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith, will take place on Friday.
Meanwhile, Trump has fallen two points behind Joe Biden in the latest Fox News national presidential election poll, the first time the president has led the survey since October.
A furious Trump has lashed out at the conservative network on Truth Social, calling the poll “TRASH” and complaining that “nobody can ever trust Fox News”, and telling the Murdoch family “all you need is Trump”.
Trump seals policy flip on crypto with Winkelvoss donation
Donald Trump’s complete U-turn on TikTok and cryptocurrency is being rewarded with a $1m donation of bitcoin from Tyler Winkelvoss, founder of crypto trading platform Gemini with his twin brother Cameron.
In the opening paragraphs of a lengthy statement attacking the Biden administration over the regulation of cryptocurrency, Winkelvoss said: “I just donated $1 million in bitcoin (15.47 BTC) to @realDonaldTrump and will be voting for him in November. Here’s why:
“Over the past few years, the Biden Administration has openly declared war against crypto. It has weaponized multiple government agencies to bully, harass, and sue the good actors in our industry in an effort to destroy it. This Administration's actions have been nothing short of an unprecedented abuse of power wielded entirely for twisted political gain at the complete expense of innovation, the American taxpayer, and the American economy. There is nothing the Biden Administration can do or say at this point to pretend otherwise.”
Trump has previously made anti-cryptocurrency statements and threatened to ban TikTok.
You can read the full statement here:
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 22:04
Missouri Republican tells Black Americans to ‘kindly’ leave US if they don’t like country
Trump supporter Valentina Gomez has become well-known for her controversial and attention-grabbing stunts, such as when she told followers not to be “weak and gay” while running in a bulletproof vest.
On Tuesday, she called Juneteenth the “most [wretched]” of holidays as she argued against reparations for slavery.
Gustaf Kilander reports on her comments.
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 21:45
George Santos launches OnlyFans account
At this point, why not?
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 21:15
Trump to speak at Road to Majority conference on Saturday
Donald Trump will be back in Washington, DC on Saturday to speak at the conservative Christian activist group Faith & Freedom Coalition’s 2024 Road to Majority Conference.
The former president is set to speak at the event at the Washington Hilton on Saturday, June 22 at 1.30pm — we’ll be covering it live.
“We are honored to welcome President Trump back to the largest gathering of conservative Christian activists in the nation,” said Ralph Reed, Founder and Chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition. “This will be his ninth appearance at the Road to Majority Policy Conference. I am confident President Trump will receive the enthusiastic response from our grassroots activists that he has earned for being such a solid champion for our shared values of faith and freedom.”
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 21:05
ICYMI: Biden takes lead over Trump in latest Fox News poll
Amelia Neath and Joe Sommerlad report on the latest survey.
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 20:45
Trump team moves to have judge recused from civil fraud trial (four months post-verdict)
Donald Trump’s legal team has moved to have Judge Arthur Engoron recuse himself from the civil fraud case against the Trump Organization, four months after the trial resulted in a verdict against the former president and his co-defendants, including his two eldest sons.
Legal adviser Alina Habba posted on X: “The New York Code of Judicial Conduct exists to ensure that litigants are afforded a fair and impartial trial. Justice Engoron's communications with Attorney Adam Leitman Bailey regarding the merits of this case, however, directly violate that code and demonstrate that Judge Engoron cannot serve as a fair arbiter. It is clear that Judge Engoron should recuse himself immediately.”
Justice Engoron and Mr Bailey spoke in the courthouse before the judge delivered his verdict.
Bailey is a real estate litigator who had previously appeared before the court and subsequently publicly discussed the conversation he had with Judge Engoron and conveyed the impression he had influenced the proceedings, the Trump legal team argues.
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 20:33
Trump legal team files response to opposition of appeal to Fani Willis ruling
Donald Trump’s legal team has filed a response regarding the opposition of the state of Georgia’s opposition to their appeal of the Fani Willis disqualification ruling.
The Fulton County District Attorney was permitted to remain on the sprawling racketeering and election interference case against the former president and his alleged co-conspirators after an extensive and embarrassing hearing about her relationship with chief prosecutor Nathan Wade.
Wade subsequently resigned from the case but the defendants appealed, still wanting to remove Willis and thereby likely jeopardize the whole prosecution.
The filing with the State of Georgia’s Court of Appeals reads:
Without citation to any applicable authority, the State filed this “Hail Mary” motion to dismiss these meritorious appeals, accusing this Court of “improvidently” granting interlocutory review. There is no proper procedural vehicle for the State to relitigate this Court’s sound decision to hear the merits. The State’s attempt to do so conflicts with applicable statutes and this Court’s Rules.
In its desperate bid to avoid disqualification of a deeply conflicted District Attorney who has engaged in – and continues to unapologetically engage in – extrajudicial forensic misconduct, the State argues that the trial court’s factual findings were not clearly erroneous. According to the State, then, this Court is powerless to overturn the trial court’s order denying the dismissal of the case and the disqualification of District Attorney Willis and her office. Of course, as this Court well knows, that has never been, and is not now, the law.
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 20:15
Fox News host says Trump’s gaffes and rambling speeches are him ‘having fun’
Fox News anchor Brian Kilmeade has made the curious argument that when Donald Trump delivers bizarre, rambling speeches that include fictional serial killers, he’s merely “having fun” and not “losing it”.
OK.
Judging by his latest angry Truth Social rant about Fox News polling, he doesn’t sound like he’s having fun...
Watch Kilmeade’s remarks here:
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 20:00
Full story: Trump will get the final word at next week’s first presidential debate
That means Trump will now get the final word during closing statements at the first debate on CNN.
Biden and his campaign elected to stand on the right side of the stage instead of reserving a speaking slot. It’s unclear why the president viewed the speaking spot as the most important decision.
Alex Woodward has the full story.
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 19:45
Biden’s student loan forgiveness is a ‘vile’ publicity stunt according to Trump
Donald Trump slammed President Joe Biden’s plans to cancel student loan debt as “vile” and suggested that the program will be “rebuked” if he is elected.
He probably meant “revoked”, right?
Alex Woodward reports.
Oliver O'Connell20 June 2024 19:30
