Top Stories Daily Listen Now
RawStory

Video

Key Trump trial witness worries ex-president would sell national secrets 'behind bars'

Former President Donald Trump is the first president in American history to be convicted of a felony — and the next step is for Judge Juan Merchan to sentence him, which could range from probation and fines to prison. But one surprising person thinks prison might not be the best option: Michael Cohen, the estranged Trump attorney who served as the prosecution's star witness.

That's because, in Cohen's reckoning, Trump could barter national secrets to other inmates to live more comfortably behind bars.

Keep reading... Show less

'Trump scares them': GOP pollster reveals how two-time Trump voters felt after conviction

Republicans Voters Against Trump director Sarah Longwell said that a focus group with prospective voters held one day after Donald Trump was minted a felon — is enough for most to not punch a vote for him come November 5.

"I was listening to a focus group that we’re convening right now, as we speak, of two-time Trump voters who rate Trump as doing a very bad job," she said during an interview with Nicolle Wallace on MSNBC. "They view him unfavorably. And those are the people who we are trying to persuade to not vote for Trump in the 2024 election."

Keep reading... Show less

Trump DOJ's sentencing of Michael Cohen could come back to haunt ex-president: expert

The Justice Department's targeting of Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, has long been debated, as the so-called "fixer" maintains that all of his actions were in service to someone else who was not sent to federal prison for the crimes.

Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann walked through the things in Trump's past that will impact his sentencing.

Keep reading... Show less

Tim Scott claims you won't see violence under Trump — and CNN host reminds him of Jan. 6

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) came on CNN Friday to defend former President Donald Trump over his felony conviction for falsified business records in New York, and was greeted with a blunt fact-check from anchor Phil Mattingly.

Scott, widely considered to be a close contender for Trump's vice presidential running mate, argued that "Lady Justice" wasn't applied blindly, and that the conviction, if anything, will sway Never Trump conservatives to supporting him. But one claim in particular met Mattingly's skepticism.

Keep reading... Show less

'He's not capable of it': Ex-prosecutor reveals what will trip Trump up at sentencing

Former federal prosecutor Harry Litman said that one major thing will trip up Donald Trump when he faces his sentencing.

He, along with legal analyst Andrew Weissmann, listed a series of requirements that Trump now faces as a convicted felon. For example, Trump can't possess a gun, and he can't get a real estate license.

Keep reading... Show less

'I need a hug': CNN hosts cut off Trump ally who refuses to have 'decent conversation'

Tempers flared and a roundtable discussion on former President Donald Trump's criminal conviction devolved into chaos on CNN Friday evening, as visibly exasperated hosts Boris Sanchez and Brianna Keilar were forced to cut short a furious rant by former Trump White House spokesman Hogan Gidley, who was debating alongside former President Bill Clinton adviser Paul Begala.

"He hurts himself when he goes on these hysterical rants," said Begala. "Yes, he helps himself with his base, but his base is not the majority of the country, and there will be some MAGA people who feel some pity — look, in a way I do. He's an obese, flatulent old man with bad makeup and weird hair who had to sit in a courtroom and listen to a porn star testify about how bad he is in bed."

Keep reading... Show less

MSNBC hosts shocked as Stormy Daniels' lawyer says actress has 'empathy' for Trump

Stormy Daniels feels "empathy" for the troubles Donald Trump now faces, her lawyer said on Friday.

Clark Brewster has represented the actress and director for the past five years, and he revealed to MSNBC that he spoke to her after the trial about her feelings on the matter.

Keep reading... Show less

'Sleaze bag' rant against trial witness makes jail even more likely for Trump: analyst

Donald Trump risked jail time Friday when he railed against a witness in the historic criminal hush money trial that transformed the former president into a convicted felon, according to CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes.

Trump's rambling speech from the lobby of his eponymous tower in New York City included multiple digs at a "sleaze bag" witness which Holmes suggested violated a gag order, still in place, from Justice Juan Merchan.

Keep reading... Show less

J.D. Vance snarls at CNN's Wolf Blitzer as he's peppered with questions about felon Trump

A very persistent Wolf Blitzer got under the skin of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) during a Friday interview about convicted felon Donald Trump as the CNN host persistently called the former president out for his over-the-top ranting about the just concluded Manhattan trial.

During the contentious interview, the longtime CNN host refused to let the Ohio lawmaker talk over him and pressed him to answer his questions, which only led Vance to grow animated and raise his voice.

Keep reading... Show less

‘Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs’: Trump’s ‘not coherent’ post-conviction rant panned

Speaking for over 30 minutes live on national television in his first official speech after a jury convicted him on 34 felony counts, Donald Trump late Friday morning spewed numerous lies attempting to spin the details of his five-week trial, including the false claim he could go to prison for "187 years," while vowing to appeal.

Echoing his infamous speech announcing his first run for president in 2015, and even using the phrase, "not good people," Trump began Friday's remarks by claiming "millions and millions of people are flowing in from all parts of the world, not just South America, from Africa, from Asia from the Middle East. And they're coming in from jails and prisons. And they're coming in from mental institutions and insane asylums. They're coming in from all over the world into our country. And we have a president and a group of fascists that don't want to do anything about it."

Keep reading... Show less

Trump's 'state of mind' questioned after 'incoherent' felony conviction speech

The entire CNN panel covering Donald Trump's Friday speech at Trump Tower Friday expressed surprise he fled from the press without taking questions, with host Kasie Hunt suggesting the former president is having trouble dealing with his life as a convicted felon.

With the speech already labeled as "very disjointed" by host Erin Burnett, CNN Political Director David Chalian expressed dismay that he ducked out on what was supposed to be a press availability — and derisively labeled the event, "A venting session for a convicted felon."

That led Bloomberg columnist Nia-Malika Henderson to note Trump's attack on President Joe Biden's age, and point out Trump can't "really speak or put two sentences together."

ALSO READ: Buckle up for Trump's 'October Surprise'

"It was, I think, surprisingly incoherent; surprisingly all over the place. He wants to make this argument about age against Biden, but here he was looking, you know, kind of like an old man who was just ranting and raving in a self-involved way," she elaborated.

She then added, "This wasn't a great outing for him. I think it was probably smart of him not to answer questions given where he has been so far in this speech. And if you look at the times he has answered questions, he gets himself in trouble on any number of issues."

Keep reading... Show less

Trump lawyer put on the spot after praising the jury before it dropped the felony hammer

A member of Donald Trump's legal brain trust was put on the spot on Friday morning over the former president's devastating 34-felony count conviction less than 24 hours after he indicated he thought the hush money trial went well and even praised the jurors.

Appearing with host Erica Hill, Will Scharf — who is also running to become Missouri's Attorney General — made the case that he feels there is a good case to appeal the conviction that has branded Trump as a felon.

That led Hill to remind him, via sharing an interview clip from Thursday, where he expressed confidence that Trump would be exonerated.

"Less than 24 hours ago you were complimenting this jury," she reminded him.

Keep reading... Show less

'Very disjointed': Donald Trump rambles aimlessly in unscripted guilty verdict speech

Former President Donald Trump addressed the public in an extensive address on Friday in which he rambled aimlessly about nondisclosure agreements, his gag order, and maintained that the crimes he was convicted of never happened or weren't illegal.

He was speaking from his Fifth Avenue tower about being found guilty on all 34 counts on Thursday.

Keep reading... Show less