Trump’s Classified Documents and Election Cases

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The civil rights law used to charge Trump in 2020 election case, explained

The latest federal charges against former President Donald Trump are the result of “the most egregious” actions he took in office, according to Quinta Jurecic, fellow at the Brookings Institution and senior editor at Lawfare. On Aug. 3, Trump pleaded not guilty to three counts of conspiracy and one count of obstruction, all related to the Jan. 6 insurrection.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/the-civil-rights-law-used-to-charge-trump-in-2020-election-case-explained

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Former President Trump released on bond under strict rules after not-guilty plea to election conspiracy charges

Former President Donald Trump was arraigned Thursday at the E. Barrett Prettyman courthouse in Washington, D.C., on criminal charges stemming from his efforts to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/03/-donald-trump-arraignment-live-updates.html?

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Prosecutors ask judge to issue protective order after Trump post appearing to promise revenge

The Justice Department has asked a federal judge overseeing the criminal case against former President Donald Trump in Washington to step in after he released a post online that appeared to promise revenge on anyone who goes after him.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-election-capitol-riot-indictment-protective-order-71cd642e876c47fff4e1283c15f8ca01?

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Trump: Pence has ‘gone to the Dark Side’

Trump’s renewed criticism of the former vice president came as Pence has sharpened his attacks on his former boss.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/05/trump-pence-has-gone-to-the-dark-side-00109960?

ps:I guess the truth is now "the Dark Side?"

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There’s a Good Reason Trump Aides Don’t Think the New Indictment Is a Joke

A number of Donald Trump’s current aides are involved in the latest case against their boss. That could put them in some very difficult positions.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/theres-a-good-reason-trump-aides-dont-think-the-new-indictment-is-a-joke?

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Trump Wants ‘Nightmare’ Judge Chutkan Off His Jan. 6 Case

“There is no way I can get a fair trial with the judge ‘assigned’ to the ridiculous freedom of speech/fair elections case,” Trump wrote.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-wants-nightmare-judge-chutkan-off-his-jan-6-case?

ps:Why? Because she can't be pushed around??

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Trump threatens witnesses. Special counsel takes note

Donald Trump just can’t help himself, posting this a few hours ago:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/8/4/2185340/-Trump-threatens-witnessed-Special-counsel-takes-note?

ps:But not to anyones face!!

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Trump's tangled web

Potential witnesses at former President Trump's criminal trials could include his vice president and now-rival for the GOP nomination, the chair of the RNC, one of Trump's own lawyers and at least seven current advisers.

Why it matters: Trump's legal troubles have blanketed the vast network of aides, lawyers, advisers and associates that fueled his takeover of the Republican Party. Many remain Trump loyalists — raising thorny conflict-of-interest questions that further tie the campaign to the courtroom.

Driving the news: Trump has agreed not to communicate with any known witnesses about his indictments unless through an attorney — a commitment that could prove difficult for a famously unrestrained candidate surrounded by them.

• Prosecutors have identified 84 witnesses in the classified documents case alone, including Trump's valet and co-defendant Walt Nauta, who traveled with the former president to his arraignment in the D.C. case last week.
• Also traveling with Trump were advisers Jason Miller and Boris Epshteyn, both of whom were involved in post-election challenges in 2020 and were interviewed by prosecutors.

Zoom in: The Washington Post identified five other current advisers who could be called to testify against the former president about his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

• The classified documents indictment accuses Trump of showing a military map to senior adviser Susie Wiles, who has taken an active role finding and financing lawyers for Trump associates, CNN reports.
• Campaign aides Liz Harrington and Margo Martin were present at a 2021 meeting in which Trump was recorded boasting about a classified document — triggering a superseding indictment last month.
• RNC chair Ronna McDaniel was on a December 2020 call in which Trump and attorney John Eastman discussed the plot to assemble fake electors, according to the Jan. 6 indictment.

Between the lines: To understand the scale of Trump's tangled web, just look at the lawyers defending him and his associates.

• Evan Corcoran, whose detailed notes gave prosecutors a roadmap to indict Trump in the classified documents case, remains on Trump's legal team and was present in the courtroom for last week's arraignment.
• Prosecutors have requested a hearing in the classified documents case to discuss potential conflicts posed by Stan Woodward, an attorney who represents Nauta and at least three possible government witnesses.
• Attorney Todd Blanche represents Trump in all three indictments, including the Manhattan hush money case. He also represents Epshteyn, whose cell phone was seized in the Jan. 6 investigation last year.

The bottom line: Days after signing a court order pledging not to intimidate witnesses, Trump unleashed a barrage of online attacks against former Vice President Mike Pence.

• Pence vowed yesterday to "comply with the law" if called to testify at trial — but his first face-to-face with Trump may come on the debate stage.

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⚖️ Trump's "Dark Brandon" defense

Screenshot: MSNBC In a new filing this evening, Trump's legal team is accusing prosecutors of seeking to limit the former president's First Amendment rights by restricting the evidence from the discovery process that he can share publicly. Why it matters: The response to the government's request for a protective order comes days after Trump posted a vaguely threatening message on social media, which his campaign later said was not directed at prosecutors. "IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I'M COMING AFTER YOU!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. Citing the post, prosecutors said the protective order was "particularly important" because Trump frequently posts online about his legal troubles, which could have a "chilling" effect on witnesses. Screenshot via filing Driving the news: "In a trial about First Amendment rights, the government seeks to restrict First Amendment rights," Trump's lawyers wrote in their new filing, previewing a freedom of speech argument set to play a central role in his Jan. 6 defense. Trump's lawyers also claim President Biden has campaigned on the indictment, citing a cheeky video of the president drinking coffee from a "Dark Brandon" mug posted hours before Trump's arraignment last week. Calling it a "thinly veiled reference to his administration's prosecution" of Trump, the defense requested a slimmed-down version of the protective order that would apply only to "genuinely sensitive materials."

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? 1 big thing: Numb to Trump

Data: Google Trends. (A value of 100 is the highest popularity. Zero means no measurable data.) Chart: Kira Wang/Axios Visuals Public attention to former President Trump's legal drama has declined with each subsequent indictment, Axios' Sara Fischer and Stef Kight report from data about viewership, social media and search activity. Why it matters: Despite the unprecedented criminal charges against a former president, the shock is starting to wear off — for now. What's happening: Americans have turned to Google in droves to find information about Trump and the topic of "indictment" with every new case. Searches spiked with all three indictments. But the spikes are getting smaller — indicating slowing interest. Social media interactions with stories about Trump indictments have followed a similar trend, according to NewsWhip. On TV, coverage of Trump's first indictment in April drew a huge spike in viewership, according to Nielsen ratings. Subsequent indictments have drawn fewer viewers. Last week's coverage of Trump's third indictment and arrest drew roughly the same level of viewership as the second indictment in June. ? Between the lines: Viewer interest mirrors campaign-finance data. Trump's campaign received a smaller bump in donations during his second indictment compared to the monstrous spike after his first, Politico reports. ?️ The big picture: Interest in national news and politics has plummeted in the Biden era, even amid Trump's legal dramas. ? What to watch: "[T]he audience will come roaring back, I would predict, as soon as major trials are underway," NYU professor Rodney Benson told Axios.

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Trump’s Longshot Plan for a West Virginia Trial Isn’t Exactly Hopeless

Trump is desperate to move his case on trying to overturn the election out of D.C. and into West Virginia. That’s not the first time this move has been tried.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-longshot-plan-for-a-west-virginia-trial-isnt-exactly-hopeless?

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Judge Aileen Cannon Comes Out Swinging in Trump’s Favor—Again

In a Monday ruling, Cannon questioned the “legal propriety” of using an “out-of-district grand jury” in Trump’s classified documents case.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/judge-aileen-cannon-comes-out-swinging-in-trumps-favor-again-in-classified-docs-case?

Judge overseeing Trump documents case criticizes special counsel

The judge overseeing former President Trump's classified documents case on Monday rebuked federal prosecutors and struck two of their filings.

https://www.axios.com/2023/08/07/judge-trump-documents-case-grand-jury?

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Trump posts another attack on judge ahead of first court deadline

Mr Trump’s lawyers have until 5pm to respond to a government motion for a protective order barring the ex-president from publicly disclosing evidence turned over to his defence team by prosecutors

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-attacks-judge-tanya-chutkan-b2389242.html

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Exclusive: Trump ally Bernie Kerik meets with special counsel investigators

Donald Trump ally Bernie Kerik met Monday with special counsel Jack Smith’s investigators who are handling the probe related to the 2020 election aftermath and the January 6, 2021, insurrection.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/07/politics/bernie-kerik-trump-grand-jury/index.html?

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Trump vows to keep talking about criminal cases despite prosecutors pushing for protective order

WINDHAM, N.H. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday kept up his attacks on special counsel Jack Smith and vowed to continue talking about his criminal cases even as prosecutors sought a protective order to limit the evidence that Trump and his team could share.

https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-indictment-campaign-election-interference-11cc4d1015c36e6ba078c00805d99838?

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Special counsel got a search warrant for Twitter to turn over info on Trump’s account, documents say

Special counsel Jack Smith’s team obtained a search warrant in January for records related to former President Donald Trump’s Twitter account, and a judge levied a $350,000 fine on the company for missing the deadline to comply, according to court documents released Wednesday.

https://apnews.com/article/twitter-trump-account-capitol-riot-jack-smith-9e66943fd7ebdae0038838c144b57d4f?

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Trump valet pleads not guilty in classified documents case; property manager’s arraignment postponed

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — Donald Trump’s valet pleaded not guilty on Thursday to new charges in the case accusing the ex-president of illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate while the property manager had his arraignment postponed because he still hasn’t secured a Florida-based attorney.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-maralago-arraignment-eaa8eed74b2de9416210cf9f2af15e65?

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Indictment shows White House lawyers struggling for control as Trump fought to overturn election

WASHINGTON (AP) — A few hours after rioters laid siege to the Capitol, overpowering police in a violent attack on the seat of American democracy on Jan. 6, 2021, the White House’s top lawyer, Pat Cipollone, called his boss with an urgent message.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-jan6-riot-cipollone-philbin-b72ee539405f1f70fe34277f969a741c?

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? Prosecutors eye New Year's Trump trial

Special counsel Jack Smith today proposed a Jan. 2 start date for Trump's trial on election conspiracy charges, estimating that his case would take "no longer than four to six weeks."

Why it matters: Trump's defense team is likely to push for a delay until after the November 2024 election, citing "election interference." The GOP's first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 15.

Between the lines: Rejecting the argument that the right to a speedy trial is solely for the benefit of the defendant, prosecutors argued that a Jan. 2 start date would serve "the public's strong interest."

"It is difficult to imagine a public interest stronger than the one in this case, in which the defendant — the former president of the United States — is charged with three criminal conspiracies intended to undermine the federal government, obstruct the certification of the 2020 presidential election, and disenfranchise voters."

— Filing by special counsel Jack Smith

The big picture: The proposed date would place Trump in the D.C. courtroom well ahead of his trials on hush money charges in New York (March 25) and classified documents charges in Florida (May 20).

The intrigue: Responding to a Trump attorney's false claim that the Justice Department has been investigating this case for 3½ years, prosecutors revealed in the filing that they first had contact with the former president's lawyers in June 2022.

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Judge warns of restraints to what evidence Trump can talk about, agrees to limited protective order

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge overseeing the election conspiracy case against Donald Trump warned Friday that there are limits on what the former president can publicly say about evidence in the investigation as he campaigns for a second term in the White House.

https://apnews.com/article/jan6-trump-indictment-protective-order-jack-smith-7129afbb11d968b42c9500559109f522?

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Inside One ‘Egregious’ Mistake From Trump’s Florida Judge Aileen Cannon

Judge Aileen Cannon barely has any courtroom experience, but in her limited time on the bench she appears to have flouted hundreds of years of legal tradition—just because.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-one-egregious-mistake-from-trumps-florida-judge-aileen-cannon?

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Federal judge warns Trump’s right to free speech "not absolute"

The federal judge overseeing the case involving former President Trump's alleged efforts to subvert 2020 election results agreed Friday to the defense's proposal for a more limited scope of the protective order, but argued that Trump's right to free speech is "not absolute," according to multiple reports.

https://www.axios.com/2023/08/11/chutkan-trump-free-speech-2020-election?

Judge warns of restraints to what evidence Trump can talk about, agrees to limited protective order

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge overseeing the election conspiracy case against Donald Trump warned Friday that there are limits on what the former president can publicly say about evidence in the investigation as he campaigns for a second term in the White House.

https://apnews.com/article/jan6-trump-indictment-protective-order-jack-smith-7129afbb11d968b42c9500559109f522?

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Judge issues protective order against Trump, cautioning him against 'inflammatory statements'

The judge said the former president's First Amendment rights are "not absolute."

https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-hearing-arguments-proposed-protective-order-trumps-jan/story?

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Texas woman accused of threatening to kill judge overseeing Trump election case and a congresswoman

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas woman was arrested and has been charged with threatening to kill the federal judge overseeing the criminal case against former President Donald Trump in Washington and a member of Congress.

https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-tanya-chutkan-judge-threats-texas-7d90ad3c8b552b49e269a3f842a6700c?

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Why it's all happening now

Four indictments in four months. And most of the alleged crimes happened two-plus years ago.

• Democrats want to know why it took so long.
• Republicans are suspicious: Why did prosecutors "wait" until the 2024 campaign was heating up, and former President Trump was the runaway (early) favorite for the Republican nomination?

Why it matters: These investigations were all happening in separate orbits, Axios' Zachary Basu reports.

• Now they've collided in the mind-blowing spectacle of a quadruply indicted former president — who'll spend the next year juggling constant court dates with a campaign to get his old job back.

Here's how (and why) it took so long, as pieced together from public reporting, court documents and the obvious sensitivities surrounding the historic prosecution of a former president.

Major criminal investigations — especially those involving powerful politicians — take serious time and resources, as the risk of botching a prosecution can undermine public faith in the justice system.

• In Manhattan, District Attorney Alvin Bragg declined to seek a Trump indictment in spring 2022 after years of investigation by his predecessor — only to resurrect the probe and bring the hush-money charges this March. Republicans have assailed Bragg's indictment as overtly political, and polling suggests the public is also skeptical.
• In Florida, Trump engaged in a year-long feud with the National Archives over government documents he had taken and allegedly tried to conceal. He was indicted in June after his attorney Evan Corcoran was forced to testify to a grand jury in March, providing key evidence about Trump's alleged obstruction.
• In D.C., top DOJ and FBI officials resisted opening a probe into Trump's role in Jan. 6 for more than a year, weary of appearing partisan, the Washington Post reports. Even after Jack Smith took over as special counsel, legal battles involving the testimony of key figures, including former Vice President Pence, led to further delays.
• In Georgia — where Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis just unveiled the sprawling racketeering indictment against Trump and 18 allies — the sheer scale and complexity of the 2½-year election interference probe helps explain the timing.