'Bombshell exchange' at Trump fraud trial sparks 'instant objection' from lawyer

ALSO READ: GOP leader tries to laugh off major Mar-a-Lago bruising — with claim that shuns evidence

Patrick Birney, an assistant vice president for financial operations at the Trump Organization, delivered explosive testimony on Monday that drew a furious reaction from an attorney representing former President Donald Trump.

As reported by The Messenger's Adam Klasfeld, an attorney representing New York Attorney General Letitia James' office asked Birney whether former Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg had ever told him that Trump wanted to see his net worth on his statements of financial condition go up from year to year, to which Birney replied, "Yes."

Klasfeld then added that this "bombshell exchange instantly sparked an objection by Trump's lawyer Chris Kise," who argued that Birney's testimony in this matter should be inadmissible on the grounds that it is "the heart of hearsay."

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Forbes reporter Dan Alexander added some context to Birney's testimony, which he said would leave a mark regardless of whether Judge Arthur Engoron finds it admissible.

"His testimony, delivered in monotone with long pauses, was certainly not theatrical," wrote Alexander, who has become a frequent target of Trump for his reporting on the ways the former president fraudulently inflated his net worth. "But the actual words he said were devastating to his employer, the Trump Organization – and ultimately to Donald Trump."

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Trump lawyer confesses 'everybody's afraid' at White House: 'We're going to be indicted'

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche revealed this week during the Conservative Political Action Conference that President Donald Trump's administration has real fears about what will happen in 2028 if Democrats take back office.

The Department of Justice leader spoke to the audience during the event attended by conservatives and right-wing influencers in suburban Dallas on Thursday, describing why Trump's team was so concerned about potential prosecution for "unspecified offenses," The Daily Beast reported.

“Even in this administration, everybody’s afraid that the next administration, if we don’t win, we’re going to all be investigated and indicted,” Blanche said. “And why are they afraid? Because that’s exactly what happened during the last administration.”

“All of Trump’s Cabinet, everybody that worked at the White House… had to go to the grand jury,” Blanche added.

Prior to joining the DOJ, Blanche served as Trump's personal attorney.

In his comment this week about "go to the grand jury," it was unclear whether he was referring to any specific cases or if anyone in the administration had been directly targeted.

Several of Trump's former allies have faced prison time, including former strategist Steve Bannon and trade adviser Peter Navarro, who both refused to respond to congressional subpoenas. Multiple Trump associates, including attorney Michael Cohen, political consultant Roger Stone and former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort were also each convicted of different crimes throughout Trump's first administration.

Blanche bragged during his public remarks that the DOJ had removed more than 200 attorneys who worked on criminal investigations into Trump, which has been viewed as Trump's move to weaponize the agency against his critics and enemies.

“There is not a single man or woman at the Department of Justice who had anything to do with those prosecutions,” Blanche said.

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CPAC attendees stun host as they cheer for Trump impeachment: ‘That was the wrong answer’

Conservative activist and lobbyist Matthew Schlapp was left speechless Friday after attempting to “hype up” the crowd at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) conference in Texas, only for the effort to backfire spectacularly.

“How many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?” Schlapp asked the massive crowd at the annual conservative event.

To Schlapp’s surprise, a wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.

“No,” Schlapp responded, shaking his head and smiling awkwardly. “That was the wrong answer. Let me try it again: how many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?”

Schlapp’s second attempt garnered a more mixed response, with some still cheering while others booed.

Schlapp again laughed off the unexpected response.

“Can someone bring some coffee out for the people at CPAC?” he said.

CPAC was founded in 1974, with President Ronald Reagan delivering the organization’s first-ever inaugural keynote speech. It’s held regular annual conferences in years since, with President Donald Trump delivering a speech at the organization’s conference in 2024.

Schlapp, 58, has long been involved in Republican politics, having served as President George W. Bush’s deputy assistant. Schlapp previously served as CPAC’s chair, and currently runs a lobbying firm with close ties to the Trump administration.

The Independent reporter Andrew Feinberg flagged the moment in a post on social media, describing Schlapp’s attempt to “hype up the CPAC crowd” as having gone “horribly wrong.”


House GOP leadership vows to refuse vote on the Senate's DHS funding bill: 'Garbage'

House Republican leadership signaled that they would refuse to vote on a Senate bill to end the partial government shutdown by funding most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

House Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-MI) told NOTUS reporter Reese Gorman that the bill was "garbage" and that there would be no votes on the legislation.

If the bill does not pass the House, a partial government shutdown crippling the TSA could continue for days, as senators were not expected to return to Washington until April 13.

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