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October 29, 2022
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Legal analysts prep for 'vitriolic, nasty prosecution bashing' from Trump and his allies
March 30, 2023
The New York Times reported Thursday afternoon that the grand jury in Manhattan was voting on whether or not to indict Donald Trump for his hush money payments, and within moments it was revealed that they voted for the indictment.
Legal analyst Harry Litman explained on MSNBC that this had been anticipated for one case or another for years.
"And here it finally comes. It's now going to be the new normal, Nicolle. That is we now are looking ahead at all kinds of litigation and pre-trial challenges," he continued. "Trump has apparently committed himself to a kind of vitriolic, nasty prosecution bashing. I think it's very interesting. [DA Alvin] Bragg impressively held his own counsel here. The table was completely set once they invited Trump to testify. And we were wondering what would happen after that."
Andrew Weissmann, also on MSNBC, was quick to say that regardless of what people think, Trump is innocent until proven guilty in the American court system. That said, he was really grateful there was finally some semblance of accountability.
"We will see for those people, like myself, who have been waiting for a long time to see the first step in terms of legal accountability, this being that first step," he said. "It makes total sense that this would be happening, that one, we're likely to see I think other charges and other jurisdictions. Remember, this by all accounts is not the most serious thing that's under investigation and I think it actually can assist other D.A.'s and federal prosecutors in taking the bold step they need to vindicate the rule of law."
Walter Shaub, who served as director of the Office of Government Ethics during the early months of Trump's presidency, described the indictment to Raw Story as something years in the making.
"The Office of Government Ethics notified the Justice Department in 2018 that former President Donald Trump had omitted his debt to Michael Cohen for the hush money payment from his 2017 financial disclosure, and this indictment shows precisely why that sort of omission matters," said Shaub, who's now a senior ethics fellow at the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight. "We should all be wondering what else Trump may have omitted from his disclosures as president and, more recently, why he missed the deadline to file a required personal financial disclosure as a candidate this year."
See the discussion with Litman and Weissmann below or at the link here.
Legal experts give details on Trump indictment www.youtube.com
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'A bigger part of the story': Nicolle Wallace on Jim Jordan's 'weaponizing' committee
March 30, 2023
Rep. Jim Jordan's (R-OH) subcommittee is missing some key details in their move to investigate President Joe Biden's administration for "weaponizing government," MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace argued on Thursday's edition of "Deadline: White House."
She pointed to Democrats that attempted to use the committee to talk about what they identified as "real threats" and "real weaponization."
Non-voting member Del. Stacey Plaskett (ID-VT) argued that the Republicans on the committee are sending letters trying to interfere in ongoing Justice Department investigations of the former president. The latest efforts came from Jordan, demanding that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg appear before the committee to answer questions. Bragg doesn't serve under the jurisdiction of Congress. He's also prevented from giving congress "inside" information because grand jury investigations are secret.
"That is not appropriate," Plaskett said. "That is not what this Congress is supposed to be about. That is an abuse of the power of this body, of this committee, and that is the weaponization of Congress, plain and simple."
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Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) explained that all of this is ignored by Jordan when it's addressed.
"They are trying to use the legislative branch to interfere in the judicial branch in an ongoing investigation, which we have a separation of branches of government for a reason," Sanchez explained. She called it "projection" on the part of the Republicans, who are serving as Trump's "cronies" and carry his water to save him from any accountability.
It's information that she said "should" scare the American public.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) also spoke out in the Jordan subcommittee on Thursday. John Sauer, Special Assistant Attorney General, Louisiana Department of Justice, began their testimonial by imagining a world in which the FBI sends a list of books that have to be pulled from library shelves.
"Luckily, we don't have to imagine that, sir," said Goldman. "Are you aware recent laws in Florida resulted in the mass removal of books that are now banned in public schools?"
Sauer said he didn't know about Florida.
"I know that we have sworn testimony from an FBI agent Elvis Chan that backs up the analogy," he said.
"Well, you should go look into it because Florida right now is banning books, and you would agree that's a violation of the First Amendment," Goldman said as Rep. James Comer tried to shut him down. "Could the witness answer the question?"
"No, you are over your time and because you addressed the chair, I will tell you, stay tuned. There is much more to come in this committee," said Comer.
Wallace asked the point of the panel if Republicans don't even have confidence enough in their witnesses to answer questions from Democrats. Sanchez agreed, calling it "it's embarrassing, and the hypocrisy is thick in that committee."
"You have to suspend reality to even go along with a straight face with the people on this committee," Wallace said. "I mean, it is like the Rogue's gallery of apologists and defenders of the 'Big Lie' that led to the deadly insurrection, that led to 140 officers being wounded, some with the trauma they will deal with forever, some physical wounds that ended their careers in law enforcement. Where did the audacity not just to do this, but do this in such a subpar performative way come from?"
Punchbowl's Jake Sherman explained that the subcommittee has been given as much money as the Jan. 6 committee and that the Jordan efforts are all part of the deal Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) made to become Speaker.
There is a real peril here, Nicole," Sherman continued. "Politically for Republicans, polls that the leadership seats, and I know they see it because I talk to them about it, shows that these investigations are broadly unpopular. Most investigations are not popular. People see inflation high, you know, food costing too much, all of those things, and they say, why is Congress going on and on about this, that or the other thing? Why aren't they doing anything to help me. So, that is the danger in carrying out these investigations for too long of a time, too long of a period."
Wallace pointed out that it's why she was leading with the incompetence of the committee in her reporting.
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"You said Jim Jordan is the most powerful Republican in the body," she said. "Kevin McCarthy wouldn't be speaker if not for Jim Jordan. He has also voted to, other than never wearing a jacket, investigate Donald Trump in ways that aren't rooted in any facts. So, the fact that this, you know, I'll call it bad faith, you can call it whatever you want, jihad, that he got a mountain of money — you described a money truck being backed up and poured onto this effort. The fact that it is so shabby, the fact that the witnesses are so subpar, the fact that the nine Democrats to the 12 Republicans are so scary to Jim Jordan that they are not allowed to ask any questions — that feels like a bigger part of the story that maybe if you are staring at the trees, the forest isn't as obvious. Why does he suck at this?"
See the panel discussion below or at the link here.
'This seems like the real story': Nicolle Wallace www.youtube.com
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'Weakest, scaredest president': Adam Kinzinger shreds Trump for treating Putin like a 'victim'
March 30, 2023
In a video released on Thursday, former President Donald Trump attacked likely presidential rival Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for calling Vladimir Putin a "war criminal," claiming that his "foolish" remarks will make nuclear war more likely.
On CNN's "The Lead," former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) tore into the former president for his latest outburst of Russia sympathy.
"Putin, as we well know — we've seen what's been playing out in Ukraine," said anchor Pamela Brown. "He has also been accused by the International Criminal Court of committing war crimes against Ukrainian children. What do you make of Trump objecting to DeSantis calling Putin a war criminal?"
"I mean, look, Trump's just — I've got to just — I'm gonna take the, like, you know, analytic hat off and kind of opinion hat," said Kinzinger. "He's a huge, huge problem with this in terms of with Russia and in terms of his praise for authoritarians, and he's also one of the weakest, scaredest, most afraid-of-action presidents that have ever been president of the United States."
"I mean, he was always scared to react to anything," Kinzinger continued. "I give him credit for the Soleimani kill, but that's about it. And with Russia, he's saying, well, look, all you're gonna do is caused Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons like, he's some kind of victim again."
"Vladimir Putin is an evil man," Kinzinger said in a near shout. "He was indicted by the I.C.C., the Criminal Court, which, by the way, we are a party to, but for Donald Trump to come out once again and defend Vladimir Putin — remember, he used to go after Angela Merkel. And then in the same sentence, go after Ron DeSantis and Mitt Romney as if they're the enemy. It's just, it's — it is time for every Republican to say that this is wrong, or else you are complicit in it."
Watch the segment below or at this link.
Adam Kinzinger slams Trump for defending Putin to attack DeSantis www.youtube.com
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