Trump fraud trial disrupted as court employee yells out to ‘help’ him - live
Donald Trump’s $250m civil fraud trial in New York was briefly disrupted when a woman, later identified as a court employee, walked toward the front of the courtroom yelling at the former president that she wanted to assist him.
Mr Trump returned to court this week, giving impromptu press conferences in the halls of the Lower Manhattan courthouse, and raised an objection from the New York Attorney General Letitia James’s team for talking during testimony.
He was originally believed to be heading back to court this week for a showdown with former “fixer” Michael Cohen. However, Cohen’s testimony has now been delayed due to a medical appointment.
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a gag order stating that Mr Trump and others involved in the federal election interference case cannot make, post or share statements targeting Special Counsel Jack Smith, the court, court staff, and witnesses in the case. Specifically, the former president also can’t refer to Mr Smith as a “thug” or “deranged”.
Mr Trump’s legal team has filed a motion saying they intend to appeal the ruling with the former president calling it “unconstitutional”.
Key Points
New York court employee arrested after ‘yelling out’ for Trump during fraud trial
Yesterday: Donald Trump returns to his New York fraud trial after two gag orders
Trump files appeal to gag order imposed by judge in federal election interference trial
‘Sounds like a plan’: Trump trolled for saying he’s ‘willing to go to jail for sake of democracy’
Judge Chutkan grants in part special counsel request for Trump gag order
How does Melania Trump feel about the civil fraud trial?
Read: Sidney Powell’s plea deal charge sheet
19:30 , Oliver O'Connell
A new charging document has been filed against Sidney Powell as part of her plea deal in the Fulton County 2020 election case brought against the former Trump lawyer and 18 others by DA Fani Willis.
In lieu of the felony charges for which she was originally indicted, Powell agreed to plead guilty to six misdemeanor counts for election interference.
Here's the new charging document filed against Sidney Powell as a part of her plea deal.
In lieu of the felony charges for which she was originally indicted, Powell agreed to plead guilty to six misdemeanor counts for election interference. https://t.co/drLxSAHQj7— Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) October 19, 2023
Trump ‘willing to go to jail for sake of democracy’ — isn’t that what prosecutors want?
11:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump is being trolled after he said he would be “willing to go to jail” for the sake of democracy.
At a campaign event on Monday in Iowa, the former president told supporters: “I am willing to go to jail if that’s what it takes for our country to win and become a democracy again.”
Mr Trump is currently facing a number of criminal indictments, at both the federal level and in state cases in New York and Georgia.
One such indictment relates to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, for which he could receive a maximum sentence of 55 years.
Mr Trump is accused of conspiring to defraud the United States by preventing Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory and conspiring to deprive voters of their right to a fair election.
Martha McHardy has the story.
Trump trolled for saying he’s ‘willing to go to jail for sake of democracy’
Trump’s New York trial has no jury — why?
10:40 , Oliver O'Connell
A trial stemming from a $250m lawsuit against Donald Trump, his adult sons, chief associates and his business empire is proceeding without a jury in a Manhattan courtroom.
Judge Arthur Engoron is presiding over the bench trial in New York Supreme Court after his stunning 35-page decision granting New York Attorney General Letitia James a partial judgment in her favour stemming from claims in her lawsuit, which alleges a decade of fraud that exaggerated the former president’s net worth by hundreds of millions of dollars.
The judge determined that a trial isn’t necessary to determine that Mr Trump’s financial statements were fraudulent, resolving a key allegation in the case, with six other so-called “causes of action” from the lawsuit left to be resolved.
Mr Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the judge, who has been baselessly accused of launching a political attack against the former president. But Mr Trump and his co-defendants could have avoided an outcome determined by Judge Engoron if their attorneys simply requested a jury.
The judge explained during the first day of the trial on 2 October that the case has no jury because neither side had “asked” for one.
Alex Woodward has the details.
How does Melania Trump feel about the New York fraud trial?
09:40 , Oliver O'Connell
No one’s heard directly from the former first lady, but her husband — the defendant — says she’s not amused by it and like him thinks it amounts to “election interference”.
Read the full story...
Trump reveals how Melania feels about his civil fraud trial
Mar-A-Lago: ‘The most expensive house, probably, in the world’ — is it?
08:10 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump likes to toss around eye-watering sums when estimating the value of his Florida private club Mar-a-Lago — often in the same sentence.
“The house is worth a billion, a billion and a half, $750m,” Mr Trump said in meandering remarks outside his civil fraud trial in New York on Tuesday.
It was “the most expensive house, probably, in the world,” he added.
The true value of Mar-a-Lago has been a hotly contested subject ever since Mr Trump was ruled to have fraudulently inflated the value of his commercial and residential properties from New York to Florida in order to deceive banks and officials to claim favourable tax and insurance rates.
According to public Palm Beach property records, Mar-a-Lago was valued at $37m as of 1 January 2023, up from $31m a year before.
Bevan Hurley has the story...
Trump calls Mar-A-Lago ‘the most expensive house, probably, in the world’
ICYMI: New York court employee arrested after ‘yelling out’ for Trump at trial
06:40 , Oliver O'Connell
A woman identified as an employee of New York’s court system was arrested after approaching the front of a courtroom and calling out for Donald Trump during the 12th day of a civil trial alleging the former president and his business empire fraudulently inflated his net worth and assets for years.
The woman, whose name had not yet been released, “disrupted” the hearing on 18 October after approaching the defence table where Mr Trump was seated with his attorneys, according to a statement from a New York courts spokesperson shared with The Independent.
She began “yelling out to Mr Trump indicating she wanted to assist him,” according to the statement.
After Biden wartime trip to Israel, Trump says he ‘may’ also visit
04:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has now suggested that he could also travel to Israel following President Joe Biden’s historic wartime visit on Wednesday.
The former president spoke to reporters during a break in his New York civil fraud trial on Wednesday – a case that threatens to topple his business empire in the Big Apple and land him with $250m in financial penalties.
“If I was president, Israel would not have been attacked. It was visually attacked. It would not have been attacked,” he said.
“Ukraine would not have been attacked. You take a look at what’s going on throughout the world. The world right now is a mess, it’s a mess. And it’s a very sad day.”
When asked if he plans to head to Israel, Mr Trump replied: “I may. I may go, I may go.”
Read more...
Trump says he ‘may’ also visit Israel after Biden wartime trip
GOP lawmakers reveal threats after they refused to vote for Jim Jordan
03:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Republican Iowa Rep Mariannette Miller-Meeks revealed in a lengthy statement that she received “credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls” after refusing to back Rep Jim Jordan for speaker.
Rep Don Bacon of Nebraska, another GOP member who didn’t vote for Mr Jordan, told Politico that his wife received texts and emails, urging her to convince her husband to back Mr Jordan.
Gustaf Kilander reports on the barrage of threats and intimidation reported by those who will not back the firebrand rightwing Ohio rep to be Speaker of the House.
Republicans reveal threats after they refused to vote for Jim Jordan
Earlier: Trump claims judge afraid of NY AG in pre-trial morning rant
02:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump claims that “Trump/Developer hating judge” Justice Arthur Engoron is afraid of New York Attorney General Letitia James and “does whatever Letitia demands” in his latest pre-trial morning post on Truth Social.
The former president wrote:
The New York State A.G., Letitia James, who sued me on a Statute NEVER USED BEFORE for such a case, had a bad day in the RIGGED trial going on in Lower Manhattan. Her appraiser witness was a disaster on the stand, and her ridiculous valuations were shown to be incorrect, without even discussing the $18,000,000 Value she ascribes to Mar-a-Lago. This trial is a giant Democrat Scam, with a Trump/Developer hating Judge who does whatever Letitia demands. He is totally afraid her, but fortunately has been overturned on many occasions by the Court of Appeals, including in our case, WHICH DECISION HE REFUSES TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE -Showing great disrespect to the Appellate Court. Businesses are watching this Witch Hunt Trial, and moving out of New York - And definitely not moving in!
Full story: Sidney Powell pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case
01:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Sidney Powell, charged in connection with a sweeping criminal case tied to Donald Trump’s attempts to subvert the results of the 2020 election in Georgia, has pleaded guilty under an arrangement with prosecutors ahead of a closely watched trial set to begin in coming days.
Ms Powell – among Trump-linked attorneys who launched a spurious, failed legal campaign to overturn election results – was accused of playing a central role in an effort to seize voting machines in the volatile aftermath of the 2020 presidential election in January 2021.
A trial for Ms Powell and Kenneth Chesebro was set to begin on 20 October.
Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of six years and her cooperation in other cases.
Ms Powell is the second person among the 19 defendants in Georgia’s sprawling election interference case to plead guilty.
Continued...
Sidney Powell pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case
‘Trump Train’ lawsuit finally settled by Texas city
00:40 , Oliver O'Connell
A 2021 lawsuit involving a “Trump Train” of motorists swarming a Biden campaign bus during the 2020 elections has been settled by the San Marcos city of Texas.
The lawsuit was filed against the City of San Marcos over the handling of the incident which the complainants said was harassment, intimidation, and heckling of Biden-Harris campaign supporters.
Campaign staff, volunteers, and former state senator Wendy Davis filed a lawsuit in 2021 against the city for not providing assistance or a police escort when their bus became encircled by a pro-Trump caravan on Interstate 35.
The legal action contended that, during the highway encounter, San Marcos Police Department personnel responded with laughter and jest when asked for assistance.
Read more...
‘Trump Train’ lawsuit finally settled
Watch: Sidney Powell promises to ‘release the kraken’ in November 2020
23:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Need reminding of who Sidney Powell is amongst all the colourful characters in the Fulton County, Georgia indictment?
Here are some excerpts from one of her first interviews after being retained by former president Donald Trump. It’s wild.
Here was Sidney Powell in Nov 2020, explaining how she was going to “release the kraken” and put everyone in jail with her new evidence of how Hugo Chavez stole the election from Trump. Sidney was just indicted. pic.twitter.com/3oI0qR7LjQ
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 15, 2023
Trump on trial: This afternoon in court at the New York fraud trial
22:19 , Oliver O'Connell
After lunch, David McArdle, a senior managing director at commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, which did some appraisal work on Trump properties, returned to the stand, still on direct examination.
In a 2014 email, Mr McArdle sent the draft final appraisal report to Trump outside counsel. This sparks an objection from the defence team.
“The witness can answer that he did the appraisal and what the [value] was, but this document is full of hearsay,” the defence contests.
“It’s in, except for the truth of its contents,” Judge Engoron says saying to move in.
It appears that the final value of the golf club was closer to $43m. After Mr McArdle sent over the draft final appraisal report to Trump counsel, he said: “Things went rather silent.”
The report was never finalised but Cushman & Wakefield was hired again by Trump lawyers to analyse the development of single-family homes at the Seven Springs estate north of New York City. Once again, Eric Trump was handling the project.
Mr McArdle says they had been told that each individual lot after development would be worth around $3m a piece, but he concluded they were worth more like $2m.
By August 2014, Mr McArdle says the project was almost complete and Eric Trump set up a conference call to discuss the conclusions about the Seven Springs valuation. There was no written appraisal report, this was “verbal consulting”. A more formal appraisal was arranged but no final report was ever produced.
A video of Eric Trump’s deposition from March 2023 is shown to the court in which he only vaguely remembers Mr McArdle and says that he wasn’t involved in the Seven Springs appraisal process.
“It’s extremely inconsistent with my role at the company ...to the best of my knowledge, I really hadn’t been involved with the appraisal of [this property],” he says. “I pour concrete, I operate properties, I don’t focus on appraisals from a law firm and Cushman.”
Mr McArdle is asked if what Eric Trump said is consistent with his recollection of events.
“No,” he replies.
Cross-examination by Trump attorney Lazaro Fields begins with Mr McArdle being asked if he agreed that the client has input in determining the value of a property that is ultimately arrived at.
“No I wouldn’t agree with that,” Mr McArdle says, explaining that they get information from the client, but conduct their own independent analysis.
Court adjoins for the day and cross-examination will pick up tomorrow morning.
Profile: Jim Jordan — Trump’s choice for speaker
22:10 , Eric Garcia
Early in the morning of 6 October, former president Donald Trump threw his support behind Rep Jim Jordan in the race to become speaker of the House. The endorsement was not entirely surprising given Mr Jordan, an Ohio congressman, occupied the same lane in the House of Representatives that Mr Trump has as a presidential candidate and president – as an expression of conservatives who were dissatisfied with Republican leadership and a candidate who channelled their rage.
Following the failure of Majority Leader Steve Scalise to get the backing he needed for a vote on the floor of the House, the focus has now returned to Mr Jordan, who was the only challenger to Mr Scalise in the first internal GOP vote on who should be the next speaker. Mr Scalise won that vote 113 to Mr Jordan’s 99.
Mr Jordan backtracked on a pause on his speakership bid on Thursday (19 October), announcing in the afternoon that the members of the House GOP had rejected a temporary solution to empower interim speaker Patrick McHenry until January.
“We made the pitch to members on the resolution as a way to lower the temperature and get back to work. We decided that wasn’t where we’re gonna go. I’m still running for speaker and I plan to go the floor and get the votes and win this race,” he said, according to the Washington Examiner.
Continued...
Who is Jim Jordan, the conservative hellraiser and Donald Trump’s choice for speaker
What’s happening with the gag order imposed on Trump in his federal election interference case?
21:40 , AP
Former President Donald Trump is appealing a narrow gag order that bars him from making statements attacking prosecutors, potential witnesses and court staff in his election interference case in Washington, according to court documents filed Tuesday.
Trump’s lawyers said in court papers that they will challenge an order from US District Judge Tanya Chutkan that restricts Trump’s public statements about the case accusing him of scheming to subvert the results of the 2020 election.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s team sought the order against the Republican 2024 presidential front-runner over a litany of verbal attacks from him on likely witnesses and others. Prosecutors say Trump’s incendiary rhetoric is designed to undermine the public’s confidence in the judicial process and taint the jury pool.
During a court hearing on Monday, Chutkan said Trump can criticize the Justice Department generally and assert his belief that the case is politically motivated. Her order also explicitly says Trump is allowed to criticize the campaign platforms or policies of his political rivals, like former Vice President Mike Pence — who is both a competitor for the GOP nomination and a likely witness in the case.
Chutkan, however, said Trump can’t mount a “smear campaign” against prosecutors and court personnel. The judge, who was nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama, repeatedly expressed concern that Trump’s rhetoric could inspire his supporters to violence.
Trump slammed the gag order as he returned to court Tuesday for his civil fraud trial, insisting he is “not saying anything wrong.” His lawyers told the judge that the former president is entitled to criticize prosecutors and that the court should not to be able to restrict his First Amendment rights.
Legal experts have said Chutkan’s gag order may be just the beginning of an unprecedented fight over what limits can be a placed on the speech of a defendant who is also campaigning for America’s highest public office. The issue could ultimately end up at the US Supreme Court.
At rallies and in social media posts, Trump has repeatedly sought to vilify Smith, other prosecutors, likely witnesses and even the judge. He has called prosecutors a “team of thugs,” called Chutkan “very biased and unfair,” and referred to one potential witness as a “gutless pig.” Prosecutors also cited a post in which Trump suggested that Mark Milley, the then-retiring chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had committed treason and should be executed.
The case, which accuses Trump of scheming to subvert the results of the election, is scheduled to go to trial in March. It’s one of four criminal cases Trump is facing while he campaigns to return to the White House in 2024. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Forbes: Unaware if Trump Org produced all documents but has notes showing Weisselberg lied
21:20 , Oliver O'Connell
Forbes has reacted to latest development at Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial after the New York Attorney General’s Office accused the Trump Organization of not producing all relevant documents.
The accusation was made after Forbes published an article saying that the company’s CFO Allen Weisselberg had lied under oath at the trial about his level of concern for the valuation of the Trump Tower penthouse.
“A review of old emails and notes, some of which the attorney general’s office does not possess, show that Weisselberg absolutely thought about Trump’s apartment—and played a key role in trying to convince Forbes over the course of several years that it was worth more than it really was,” the story said.
Today the magazine added: “Forbes does not know whether the Trump Organization produced all of its documents. The evidence that Forbes has that Weisselberg lied, which the attorney general’s office certainly does not have, is a collection of notes taken by Forbes reporters who were in touch with the Trump Organization over the years while estimating the size of Trump’s fortune. It is those notes that show Weisselberg thought about his boss’ penthouse a lot—contrary to his testimony—and that he consistently pushed Forbes to overvalue it.”
Trump attorney forced to apologise to female attorneys for dismissive remarks at New York trial
21:06 , Oliver O'Connell
Law360 reports that Christopher Kise, Donald Trump’s attorney in the civil fraud trial underway in New York, was forced to apologise to two female attorneys after making dismissive remarks during an off-the-record sidebar.
Kise reportedly told Principal Law Clerk Allison Greenfield he didn’t want to talk to her, only the judge, and then questioned the intelligence of attorney Colleen Faherty of the New York Attorney General’s office.
Here’s the report from Frank Runyeon of Law360:
EXCLUSIVE: @Law360 learned Chris Kise, Trump's atty, was forced to apologize to 2 female attorneys after dismissive remarks during an off-the-record sidebar in AG's fraud trial.
Kise told the law clerk he didn't want to talk to her & questioned an AG atty's intelligence pic.twitter.com/eMpcchzhVs— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) October 19, 2023
Trump hits out at Forbes as NY AG says documents withheld citing claim Weisselberg lied under oath
20:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has hit out at Forbes magazine (again) following the latest development in his civil fraud trial in New York.
The former president wrote on Truth Social:
Forbes Magazine is owned by Communist China. Nobody hates “TRUMP” more than they do. I told my people, years ago, don’t waste your time talking to them, it’s a giant Scam. Besides, Forbes is dying a slow death!
The New York Attorney General’s Office has accused the Trump Organization of withholding documentary evidence relating to the civil fraud trial of Donald Trump and would like to examine the claims made in an article published by Forbes that former CFO Allen Weisselberg lied under oath.
The Forbes article, “Trump’s Longtime CFO Lied, Under Oath, About Trump Tower Penthouse” was published while Weisselberg was on the stand in the courtroom in Lower Manhattan on 12 October.
It referred to “old emails and notes, some of which the attorney general’s office does not possess” and based on a review of the documents provided by the defendants in the case, “OAG has identified likely omissions from production around inquiries from Forbes in 2016”.
The AG’s demand to review Trump records follows @DanAlexander21’s recent report accusing Allen Weisselberg of perjury re his role in Trump’s triplex.
“OAG has identified likely omissions from production around inquiries from Forbes in 2016.” https://t.co/D2t1rvH6gv— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) October 19, 2023
Here’s our reporting on the Forbes accusation from last week:
Forbes accuses Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg of lying under oath at fraud trial
Voices: Biden’s Israel trip and GOP chaos drowns out the Trump show – for now
20:10 , Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
On Wednesday morning, President Joe Biden arrived in Israel to express solidarity with the state after the deadly attack from Hamas. In addition, Mr Biden responded to an explosion at the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in Gaza that provoked outrage by saying that US intelligence indicated the explosion was caused “by the other team.”
Meanwhile, back on American soil, the House of Representatives entered its third week without a speaker as Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH), the rightwing firebrand, failed to win enough votes to lead the lower chamber of Congress.
The split screen likely gives Mr Biden more than a small amount of glee, while many Americans see that his advanced age is not only a drawback. His 36 years as a US senator, particularly as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his eight years as vice president, also give him wisdom and experience in handling international crises. Meanwhile, Republicans can’t even corral 217 votes to elect a speaker despite having the majority.
But what is being broadcast is just as notable as what isn’t being broadcast: news stories about former president Donald Trump. This isn’t for a dearth of coverage. As is always the case with the four-times-indicted and twice-impeached former president, a flurry of headlines always follow Mr Trump.
Read the full article...
Biden’s Israel trip and GOP chaos drowns out the Trump show – for now
Cher says she may flee the US if Trump wins in 2024
19:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Legendary singer Cher announced that if Donald Trump were elected again as President, she would leave the US.
Cher did not hold back on the former president in an interview with The Guardian yesterday (18 October) promoting her Christmas album when the topic of the 2024 presidential election came up.
“I almost got an ulcer the last time,” she said of Trump’s first election win in 2017.
“If he gets in, who knows? This time, I will leave [the country].”
Cher has criticised Trump ever since he debuted on the political stage; both the singer and the former president are 77 years old, but their similarities more or less end there.
Amelia Neath has the story.
Cher says she may flee the US if Trump wins again
GOP Speaker race latest: McCarthy screams at Gaetz as fellow GOP rep ‘almost lunged at him’
19:17 , Oliver O’Connell
It doesn’t sound like things are going well over on Capitol Hill...
Gustaf Kilander reports:
The Republican conference meeting grew heated following the announcement that Rep Jim Jordan is putting a pause on his speakership bid.
Rep Kevin McCarthy, the recently ousted speaker, reportedly screamed at Rep Matt Gaetz, who brought the motion to vacate against Mr McCarthy earlier this month, to sit down and Rep Michael Bost was seen “almost lunging at him,” a person who was in the room told Axios.
This comes after the announcement that Mr Jordan would not hold a third vote on his speakership bid on Thursday and is instead leaning towards backing Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry to serve as interim speaker until 3 January 2024.
Read more...
McCarthy screams at Gaetz as fellow GOP rep ‘almost lunged at him’
‘I ache for him’: Biden torches Jim Jordan over his two failed House speaker bids
19:10 , Oliver O'Connell
President Joe Biden gave a sarcastic response when he was asked about the current predicament facing the GOP’s beleaguered House Speaker nominee Jim Jordan.
A third round of voting for speakership is due to take place on Thursday, after the Ohio Republican fell short of the required number of votes needed to take the gavel for a second time.
On Wednesday, 22 Republicans voted against Mr Jordan – an even poorer performance from his first vote when 20 members of his party defected.
On his return from a trip to Israel on Wednesday, Mr Biden was asked if he had any thoughts on Mr Jordan’s inability to secure the speakership.
Putting his hand across his heart, a smiling Mr Biden replied: “I ache for him.”
Read more...
Biden torches Jim Jordan over his two failed House speaker bids
18:45 , Oliver O'Connell
After a 15-minute recess, the next witness was called — David McArdle, a senior managing director at commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, which did some appraisal work on Trump properties.
Mr McArdle described the methodologies for his firm’s appraisal and valuation process. The NYAG claims that Cushman & Wakefield actually helped Trump falsely inflate the value of 40 Wall Street by using “unreasonably aggressive assumptions” including some that were demonstrably false in its appraisal of the property.
Sherief Gaber of the NYAG’s office questioned Mr McArdle and asked about Trump National Golf Club Westchester, which the firm was asked to appraise in 2013. Earlier in the trial the court heard about the difficulties in appraising properties that have a niche market.
Mr Trump wanted to develop some of the excess land on the golf course and Eric Trump acted as the lead on the project (both he and his older brother Donald Trump Jr are co-defendants of their father).
The Trump Organization wanted to develop 71 luxury homes on the property and Cushman & Wakefield was asked to value the golf club based on that future development.
The witness seems sympathetic to Eric Trump's enthusiasm.
"Eric loved this project. He thought it was very special. [...] It would definitely appeal to the high end buyer."
McArdle adds: "I’m perfectly willing to listen. But ultimately, I come up with my own conclusions."— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) October 19, 2023
"Much as I was interested in hearing what the Trump Organization would retail these units for, it’s my obligation...to do my own research," Mr McArdle told the court.
“Eric loved this project. He thought it was very special. [...] It would definitely appeal to the high-end buyer."
Mr McArdle added: "I’m perfectly willing to listen. But ultimately, I come up with my own conclusions."
In an email to a contemporary in the industry, he said of the Westchester project: “Of course, Eric [Trump] has lofty ideas on value.”
By the autumn of 2013, the value was estimated in the low $40m range before Cushman & Wakefield settled on $45m.
“Eric had certain [idea] about values that would have been a bit more lofty than 45 million,” Mr McArdle told the court.
He added: “I was comfortable with 45 million, but beyond that, I was afraid we’d lose credibility.”
Court then broke for lunch.
Trump on trial: This morning in court at the New York fraud trial
18:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Returning to the witness stand this morning was Jack Weisselberg, former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg’s son, an executive director at commercial real estate firm Ladder Capital. He testified about a loan to Trump relating to the 40 Wall Street skyscraper in Manhattan.
Colleen Faherty of the New York Attorney General’s office asked about documents and emails relating to a $160m loan from Ladder Capital that Mr Trump was seeking in July 2015 for the building.
Ladder Capital cited Mr Trump’s wealth: “As of June 30, 2014, Mr Trump reported a net worth of nearly $5.8bn and liquidity in excess of $300m.”
In the indictment, NYAG claimed Mr Trump was actually worth less than half that amount that year: $2.3bn, This is the heart of the case — that Mr Trump falsely inflated his net worth in his annual statements of financial condition, which were provided to lenders and insurers, who then did business with his company on more favourable terms than they would have otherwise.
Faherty asked Jack Weisselberg about a press inquiry in August 2015 from Josh Mrozinski, a reporter from Commercial Real Estate Direct, seeking information about the $160m loan. His questions reach both father and son Weisselberg at the Trump Organization and Ladder Capital, respectively.
In emails shown to the court, it appears that Allen Weisselberg sought help and information from his son about how to respond. Mr Trump’s aide Hope Hicks forwarded a message about the inquiry to Amanda Miller, Donald Trump Jr, and Allen Weisselberg, evidence shows.
Faherty routinely refers to Allen Weisselberg as the witness’s father during her questioning, which while accurate, is found unnecessary by Justice Arthur Engoron — joking, he asks whether he’s aware of any other Allen Weisselbergs in the universe of this case.
He then instructed the lawyers to simply refer to Allen Weisselberg by his name without further description.
Shortly after that, Faherty wrapped up her direct examination of the younger Weisselberg, and Trump’s counsel declined to cross-examine him (though he can be recalled as a witness).
Continued...
After Biden wartime trip to Israel, Trump says he ‘may’ also visit
18:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has now suggested that he could also travel to Israel following President Joe Biden’s historic wartime visit on Wednesday.
The former president spoke to reporters during a break in his New York civil fraud trial on Wednesday – a case that threatens to topple his business empire in the Big Apple and land him with $250m in financial penalties.
“If I was president, Israel would not have been attacked. It was visually attacked. It would not have been attacked,” he said.
“Ukraine would not have been attacked. You take a look at what’s going on throughout the world. The world right now is a mess, it’s a mess. And it’s a very sad day.”
When asked if he plans to head to Israel, Mr Trump replied: “I may. I may go, I may go.”
Read more...
Trump says he ‘may’ also visit Israel after Biden wartime trip
Full story: Powell pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case
17:26 , Oliver O'Connell
Sidney Powell, charged in connection with a sweeping criminal case tied to Donald Trump’s attempts to subvert the results of the 2020 election in Georgia, has pleaded guilty under an arrangement with prosecutors ahead of a closely watched trial set to begin in the coming days.
Ms Powell – among Trump-linked attorneys who launched a spurious, failed legal campaign to overturn election results – was accused of playing a central role in an effort to seize voting machines in the volatile aftermath of the 2020 presidential election in January 2021.
A trial for Ms Powell and Kenneth Chesebro was set to begin on 20 October.
Ms Powell instead has pleaded guilty to six misdemeanour counts of conspiracy to interfere with elections during a surprise hearing with her attorney and prosecutors in front of Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee in an Atlanta courtroom on 19 October.
She faces a sentence of six years of probation and must cooperate in other cases, according to prosecutors and a sentencing sheet. She also faces a $6,000 fine and $2,700 in restitution to the state of Georgia, and she must write an apology letter to Georgia voters and testify “truthfully against any and all co-defendants in this matter,” according to the judge.
Ms Powell is “expected to provide cooperative testimony for prosecutors in the trials of the remaining defendants,” according to the judge.
She is the second person among the 19 defendants in Georgia’s sprawling election interference case to plead guilty.
Alex Woodward has more details...
GOP lawmakers reveal threats after they refused to vote for Jim Jordan
16:50 , Oliver O'Connell
Republican Iowa Rep Mariannette Miller-Meeks revealed in a lengthy statement that she received “credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls” after refusing to back Rep Jim Jordan for speaker.
Rep Don Bacon of Nebraska, another GOP member who didn’t vote for Mr Jordan, told Politico that his wife received texts and emails, urging her to convince her husband to back Mr Jordan.
Gustaf Kilander reports on the barrage of threats and intimidation reported by those who will not back the firebrand rightwing Ohio rep to be Speaker of the House.
Republicans reveals threats after they refused to vote for Jim Jordan
Breaking: Jim Jordan bows out of House speaker race as GOP set to empower McHenry
16:25 , Oliver O'Connell
Ohio Representative Jim Jordan will reportedly not ask his House Republican colleagues to vote for him on a third ballot for House Speaker after losing two consecutive votes on Tuesday and Wednesday, and will instead sign on to a plan to empower Rep Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, who has served as Speaker Pro Tempore since a group of hardline conservatives forced the ouster of then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy earlier this month.
According to Punchbowl News and The Washington Post, Mr Jordan informed his GOP colleagues of his intention to stand down at a House Republican Conference meeting Thursday morning.
Andrew Feinberg is covering this developing story from Washington, DC — check here for the latest updates.
Jim Jordan bows out of House speaker race as GOP set to empower McHenry
‘Trump Train’ lawsuit finally settled by Texas city
16:05 , Oliver O'Connell
A 2021 lawsuit involving a “Trump Train” of motorists swarming a Biden campaign bus during the 2020 elections has been settled by the San Marcos city of Texas.
The lawsuit was filed against the City of San Marcos over the handling of the incident which the complainants said was harassment, intimidation, and heckling of Biden-Harris campaign supporters.
Campaign staff, volunteers, and former state senator Wendy Davis filed a lawsuit in 2021 against the city for not providing assistance or a police escort when their bus became encircled by a pro-Trump caravan on Interstate 35.
The legal action contended that, during the highway encounter, San Marcos Police Department personnel responded with laughter and jest when asked for assistance.
Read more...
‘Trump Train’ lawsuit finally settled
Watch: Sidney Powell promises to ‘release the kraken’ in November 2020
15:55 , Oliver O'Connell
Need reminding of who Sidney Powell is amongst all the colourful characters in the Fulton County, Georgia indictment?
Here are some excerpts from one of her first interviews after being retained by former president Donald Trump. It’s wild.
Here was Sidney Powell in Nov 2020, explaining how she was going to “release the kraken” and put everyone in jail with her new evidence of how Hugo Chavez stole the election from Trump. Sidney was just indicted. pic.twitter.com/3oI0qR7LjQ
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 15, 2023
Full story: Sidney Powell pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case
15:39 , Alex Woodward
Sidney Powell, charged in connection with a sweeping criminal case tied to Donald Trump’s attempts to subvert the results of the 2020 election in Georgia, has pleaded guilty under an arrangement with prosecutors ahead of a closely watched trial set to begin in coming days.
Ms Powell – among Trump-linked attorneys who launched a spurious, failed legal campaign to overturn election results – was accused of playing a central role in an effort to seize voting machines in the volatile aftermath of the 2020 presidential election in January 2021.
A trial for Ms Powell and Kenneth Chesebro was set to begin on 20 October.
Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of six years and her cooperation in other cases.
Ms Powell is the second person among the 19 defendants in Georgia’s sprawling election interference case to plead guilty.
Continued...
Sidney Powell pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case
Day 13 of New York fraud trial getting underway
15:31 , Oliver O'Connell
Day 13 of the civil fraud trial of Donald Trump et al is getting underway in court in Lower Manhattan, with lighter security measures appearing to indicate the former president is not planning to attend proceedings today.
Today for the first time, we're seeing reaction by AG Letitia James' office to explosive allegations from Forbes' @DanAlexander21 that former Trump Org. CFO Allen Weisselberg lied on the witness stand during his testimony last week.
— Stewart Bishop (@stewartbishop) October 19, 2023
We will likely see some reaction from Team Trump to earlier reporting about the New York Attorney General’s response to the Forbes article about former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg.
Things kick off with a 20-minute sidebar in which Trump lawyer Christopher Kise and NY AG attorney Colleen Faherty appear to snap at each other.
Now: During a 20-min. sidebar, it’s impossible to hear everything that is being said, but then:
“Be more respectful,” AG atty Colleen Faherty says to Kise.
“No,” Kise snaps back.
“That was rude,” Faherty replies, her voice confrontational.
The voices die down again.— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) October 19, 2023
Fulton County: Former Trump lawyer pleads guilty in Georgia election subversion case
15:11 , Oliver O'Connell
Sidney Powell, a former lawyer for Donald Trump, has pleaded guilty in the Fulton County, Georgia election subversion case, one day before jury selection for her trial alongside fellow former Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro was due to commence.
Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of six years probation, CNN reports. Powell will also be required to testify at future trials and write an apology letter to the citizens of Georgia.
In the sprawling indictment laid out by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, Powell was accused of playing a leading role in the January 2021 breach of election systems in rural Coffee County, Georgia.
Local Republican Party officials helped a group of Trump supporters to access and copy information from the county’s election systems hoping to somehow prove that the election was rigged against then-President Trump.
Powell’s attorneys had vehemently rejected prosecutors’ claims that she orchestrated the Coffee County breach.
NY AG accuses Trump of withholding documents citing Forbes claim Weisselberg lied under oath
14:55 , Oliver O'Connell
The New York Attorney General’s Office has accused the Trump Organization of withholding documentary evidence relating to the civil fraud trial of Donald Trump and would like to examine the claims made in an article published by Forbes that former CFO Allen Weisselberg lied under oath.
The Forbes article, “Trump’s Longtime CFO Lied, Under Oath, About Trump Tower Penthouse” was published while Weisselberg was on the stand in the courtroom in Lower Manhattan on 12 October.
It referred to “old emails and notes, some of which the attorney general’s office does not possess” and based on a review of the documents provided by the defendants in the case, “OAG has identified likely omissions from production around inquiries from Forbes in 2016”.
The AG’s demand to review Trump records follows @DanAlexander21’s recent report accusing Allen Weisselberg of perjury re his role in Trump’s triplex.
“OAG has identified likely omissions from production around inquiries from Forbes in 2016.” https://t.co/D2t1rvH6gv— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) October 19, 2023
Here’s our reporting on the Forbes accusation from last week:
Forbes accuses Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg of lying under oath at fraud trial
NY AG James calls Trump ‘performative’, says attacks can’t change what happens in court
14:45 , Oliver O'Connell
New York Attorney General Letitia James mades a few remarks to the press on her way out of court.
Specifically she responded to Donald Trump’s insults: “He’s called me venomous, he’s called me disgraceful, he’s called me a radical, he’s called me a racist and this is only week three.”
“None of this, which can best be described as performative, can change what’s happening in the courtroom,” Ms James continued.
“And the evidence is clear, that he inflated his statements of financial [condition] to enrich himself and his family,” she added. “And nothing will change that, not the attacks on me, or anyone.”
Mr Trump was not happy sitting at the defence bench with attorney Christopher Kise on Wednesday.
“He’s telegraphing that as appraiser Doug Larson testifies — dropping his hands on the table, shaking his head and making sounds of frustration, talking to his attorneys,” it was reported.
An objection was raised from the attorney general’s bench: “Can the defendant please stop commenting during the witness’s testimony.”
Justice Arthur Engoron sustained the objection to the audible protests emanating from the former president, but without singling him out asked everyone to keep quiet, “particularly if it’s meant to influence the testimony”.
Trump claims judge afraid of NY AG in pre-trial morning rant
14:38 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump claims that “Trump/Developer hating judge” Justice Arthur Engoron is afraid of New York Attorney General Letitia James and “does whatever Letitia demands” in his latest pre-trial morning post on Truth Social.
The former president wrote:
The New York State A.G., Letitia James, who sued me on a Statute NEVER USED BEFORE for such a case, had a bad day in the RIGGED trial going on in Lower Manhattan. Her appraiser witness was a disaster on the stand, and her ridiculous valuations were shown to be incorrect, without even discussing the $18,000,000 Value she ascribes to Mar-a-Lago. This trial is a giant Democrat Scam, with a Trump/Developer hating Judge who does whatever Letitia demands. He is totally afraid her, but fortunately has been overturned on many occasions by the Court of Appeals, including in our case, WHICH DECISION HE REFUSES TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE -Showing great disrespect to the Appellate Court. Businesses are watching this Witch Hunt Trial, and moving out of New York - And definitely not moving in!
Trump appealing narrow gag order imposed in DC 2020 election interference case
14:35 , AP
Former President Donald Trump is appealing a narrow gag order that bars him from making statements attacking prosecutors, potential witnesses and court staff in his election interference case in Washington, according to court documents filed Tuesday.
Trump’s lawyers said in court papers that they will challenge an order from US District Judge Tanya Chutkan that restricts Trump’s public statements about the case accusing him of scheming to subvert the results of the 2020 election.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s team sought the order against the Republican 2024 presidential front-runner over a litany of verbal attacks from him on likely witnesses and others. Prosecutors say Trump’s incendiary rhetoric is designed to undermine the public’s confidence in the judicial process and taint the jury pool.
During a court hearing on Monday, Chutkan said Trump can criticize the Justice Department generally and assert his belief that the case is politically motivated. Her order also explicitly says Trump is allowed to criticize the campaign platforms or policies of his political rivals, like former Vice President Mike Pence — who is both a competitor for the GOP nomination and a likely witness in the case.
Chutkan, however, said Trump can’t mount a “smear campaign” against prosecutors and court personnel. The judge, who was nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama, repeatedly expressed concern that Trump’s rhetoric could inspire his supporters to violence.
Trump slammed the gag order as he returned to court Tuesday for his civil fraud trial, insisting he is “not saying anything wrong.” His lawyers told the judge that the former president is entitled to criticize prosecutors and that the court should not to be able to restrict his First Amendment rights.
Legal experts have said Chutkan’s gag order may be just the beginning of an unprecedented fight over what limits can be a placed on the speech of a defendant who is also campaigning for America’s highest public office. The issue could ultimately end up at the US Supreme Court.
At rallies and in social media posts, Trump has repeatedly sought to vilify Smith, other prosecutors, likely witnesses and even the judge. He has called prosecutors a “team of thugs,” called Chutkan “very biased and unfair,” and referred to one potential witness as a “gutless pig.” Prosecutors also cited a post in which Trump suggested that Mark Milley, the then-retiring chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had committed treason and should be executed.
The case, which accuses Trump of scheming to subvert the results of the election, is scheduled to go to trial in March. It’s one of four criminal cases Trump is facing while he campaigns to return to the White House in 2024. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Voices: Biden’s Israel trip and GOP chaos drowns out the Trump show – for now
14:20 , Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
On Wednesday morning, President Joe Biden arrived in Israel to express solidarity with the state after the deadly attack from Hamas. In addition, Mr Biden responded to an explosion at the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in Gaza that provoked outrage by saying that US intelligence indicated the explosion was caused “by the other team.”
Meanwhile, back on American soil, the House of Representatives entered its third week without a speaker as Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH), the rightwing firebrand, failed to win enough votes to lead the lower chamber of Congress.
The split screen likely gives Mr Biden more than a small amount of glee, while many Americans see that his advanced age is not only a drawback. His 36 years as a US senator, particularly as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his eight years as vice president, also give him wisdom and experience in handling international crises. Meanwhile, Republicans can’t even corral 217 votes to elect a speaker despite having the majority.
But what is being broadcast is just as notable as what isn’t being broadcast: news stories about former president Donald Trump. This isn’t for a dearth of coverage. As is always the case with the four-times-indicted and twice-impeached former president, a flurry of headlines always follow Mr Trump.
Read the full article...
Biden’s Israel trip and GOP chaos drowns out the Trump show – for now
ICYMI: New York court employee arrested after ‘yelling out’ for Trump
13:50 , Oliver O'Connell
A woman identified as an employee of New York’s court system was arrested after approaching the front of a courtroom and calling out for Donald Trump during the 12th day of a civil trial alleging the former president and his business empire fraudulently inflated his net worth and assets for years.
The woman, whose name had not yet been released, “disrupted” the hearing on 18 October after approaching the defense table where Mr Trump was seated with his attorneys, according to a statement from a New York courts spokesperson shared with The Independent.
VIDEO: Arrested woman who approached the front of the courtroom amid proceedings today in Donald Trump’s fraud trial. Officers would not immediately confirm the charge. pic.twitter.com/L5EtKLugKL
— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) October 18, 2023
She began “yelling out to Mr Trump indicating she wanted to assist him,” according to the statement.
New York state court officers escorted her out of New York Superior Court Judge Arthur Engoron’s courtroom on the third floor of the building on Centre Street, and she was placed into a squad car on an adjoining street.
She was charged with contempt of court in the second degree for disrupting a court proceeding, according to a court’s spokesperson. She also has been placed on immediate administration leave pending an investigation and is barred from entering other court facilities until further notice, the statement added.
Alex Woodward has further details.
Mar-A-Lago: ‘The most expensive house, probably, in the world’, according to Trump... but not Palm Beach
13:25 , Oliver O'Connell
Bevan Hurley reports:
Donald Trump likes to toss around eye-watering sums when estimating the value of his Florida private club Mar-a-Lago — often in the same sentence.
“The house is worth a billion, a billion and a half, $750m,” Mr Trump said in meandering remarks outside his civil fraud trial in New York on Tuesday.
It was “the most expensive house, probably, in the world,” he added.
The true value of Mar-a-Lago has been a hotly contested subject ever since Mr Trump was ruled to have fraudulently inflated the value of his commercial and residential properties from New York to Florida in order to deceive banks and officials to claim favourable tax and insurance rates.
According to public Palm Beach property records, Mar-a-Lago was valued at $37m as of 1 January 2023, up from $31m a year before.
Continued...
Trump calls Mar-A-Lago ‘the most expensive house, probably, in the world’
How does Melania Trump feel about the New York fraud trial?
12:45 , Oliver O'Connell
No one’s heard directly from the former first lady, but her husband — the defendant — says she’s not amused by it and like him thinks it amounts to “election interference”.
Read the full story...
Trump reveals how Melania feels about his civil fraud trial
As Biden delivered remarks in Tel Aviv, Trump gave his from outside courtroom
11:45 , Oliver O'Connell
President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he would ask Congress for “unprecedented” amounts of aid to both Israel and the Palestinian people amid escalating violence following terror attacks by Hamas and a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital.
Mr Biden, who delivered remarks in Tel Aviv after a series of meetings with Israeli officials, first responders, and survivors of the 7 October attacks, urged both sides against being consumed by anger in an escalating cycle of violence and making mistakes similar to those that the US and its allies had made in the period following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
“You are a Jewish state. You are a Jewish state. But you’re also a democracy. Like the United States, you don’t live by the rules of terrorism. You live by the rule of law. When conflict is fair, you live by the rule of law of war,” said Mr Biden, who added that what sets the US and Israel “apart from the terrorists” is a belief “‘in the fundamental dignity of every human life”.
“You can’t give up what makes you who you are. If you give that up, then the terrorists win. And we can never let them win,” he said.
[Read Andrew Feinberg’s full report on the president’s remarks]
Meanwhile, in the halls of a courthouse in Lower Manhattan, four-times indicted former president Donald Trump gave his take on the escalating tensions in the Middle East — that it wouldn’t have happened if he were president.
Watch below:
Trump rants at United Auto Workers that they must vote for him or industry ‘DEAD'
10:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump began his day on Truth Social with a rant at The United Autoworkers union saying that the auto industry is “DEAD” if they don’t vote for him.
The former president wrote:
The United Autoworkers have no choice. They are not being told the truth by their union “heads.” The Auto Industry is DEAD if they don’t VOTE FOR TRUMP. I will triple their jobs within two years, immediately authorizing CHOICE OF PROPULSION IN ALL CARS (and Trucks!). Car Choice, School Choice! Under the Biden Administration, there will be no such thing as a U.S. Autoworker within 3 years. All cars and trucks will be made in China, and other foreign lands!
Mr Trump skipped the second Republican Party primary debate in September ostensibly to attend a rally of striking auto workers after the United Auto Workers (UAW) union announced industrial action. However, local reporting found that not only was the venue a non-union plant, but very few of those present were auto workers:
Mr Trump visited Drake Enterprises, a non-unionized auto parts factory, on Wednesday night while seven of his rivals in the 2024 election faced off in California.
In a speech during his visit, Mr Trump claimed “thousands of people” had gathered to meet him in Michigan.
But the composition of the audience is now under scrutiny after a report by The Detroit News claimed one attendee holding a “union members for Trump” sign admitted that she is not in a union, while another holding an “auto workers for Trump” sign said he was not an auto worker.
The event drew a crowd of about 400-500 Trump supporters, according to The Detroit News, while Drake Enterprises only has around 150 employees.
United Auto Workers union leadership has said a second Trump term in office would be a “disaster” for workers.
Meanwhile, shortly before Mr Trump showed up to his rally in Detroit, President Joe Biden became the first sitting president to join a picket line. After the much-vaunted appearance, the UAW union leader says he saw no point in meeting with Mr Trump as he doesn’t care about workers and represents the billionaire class.
Watch Joe Biden join the UAW picket line and tell workers they deserve ‘significant raise’:
Biden tells striking auto workers they deserve ‘significant raise’
Fox News settled Dominion lawsuit to avoid ‘months of utter pain’, attorney claims
09:30 , Oliver O'Connell
The top lawyer for Fox News says the network paid $787m to settle the Dominion lawsuit to save “months of pain.”
Viet Dinh blasted the judge in the election defamation case brought by the voting technology company at a Harvard Law School event, reported CNN.
“We knew we were right in the law, (but) the trial judge put us in a situation increasingly where it was very obvious that we were not able to win the trial, but we were very confident we would prevail on appeal,” said Mr Dinh, Fox Corporation’s outgoing chief legal and policy officer, according to the news network.
He added: “As the judge compounded error upon error, we would get more and more confident in our ultimate chances of prevailing on appeal — because at some point, it became not just a matter of reversible error, it called into the fundamental fairness and integrity of the Delaware civil justice system.”
Graeme Massie has the story.
Fox News only settled Dominion lawsuit to avoid ‘months of utter pain’, attorney says
Biden trolls Trump by joining Truth Social
08:00 , Oliver O'Connell
The Biden campaign has taken its trolling of former president Donald Trump to the next level, by announcing that it has joined his Truth Social platform.
A Biden campaign spokesperson told Fox News on Monday that it plans to use its new Truth Social presence to combat misinformation – but also admitted it had joined Mr Trump’s social network site “mostly because we thought it would be very funny”.
They also said that President Joe Biden plans to “[meet] voters where they are” adding that: “Republicans can’t even agree on a speaker of the House, so clearly, not every Republican thinks the same.”
“We will be leveraging the fact that Republicans can sometimes be our best messengers,” the spokesperson added.
The first post from @BidenHQ read: “Well. Let’s see how this goes. Converts welcome!”
Trump ‘willing to go to jail for sake of democracy’ — isn’t that what prosecutors want?
06:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump is being trolled after he said he would be “willing to go to jail” for the sake of democracy.
At a campaign event on Monday in Iowa, the former president told supporters: “I am willing to go to jail if that’s what it takes for our country to win and become a democracy again.”
Mr Trump is currently facing a number of criminal indictments, at both the federal level and in state cases in New York and Georgia.
One such indictment relates to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, for which he could receive a maximum sentence of 55 years.
Mr Trump is accused of conspiring to defraud the United States by preventing Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory and conspiring to deprive voters of their right to a fair election.
Martha McHardy has the story.
Trump trolled for saying he’s ‘willing to go to jail for sake of democracy’
Trump now has two partial gag orders — what does that mean?
04:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump was hit with a gag order by the judge in his civil fraud trial in New York after just a day and a half into a trial that is scheduled to run until almost Christmas.
But what is a gag order and what are the potential repercussions for Mr Trump in this trial and in the myriad of legal proceedings he faces in the coming months?
What is a gag order and what does it mean for Trump?
Trump’s New York trial has no jury — why?
02:30 , Oliver O'Connell
A trial stemming from a $250m lawsuit against Donald Trump, his adult sons, chief associates and his business empire is proceeding without a jury in a Manhattan courtroom.
Judge Arthur Engoron is presiding over the bench trial in New York Supreme Court after his stunning 35-page decision granting New York Attorney General Letitia James a partial judgment in her favour stemming from claims in her lawsuit, which alleges a decade of fraud that exaggerated the former president’s net worth by hundreds of millions of dollars.
The judge determined that a trial isn’t necessary to determine that Mr Trump’s financial statements were fraudulent, resolving a key allegation in the case, with six other so-called “causes of action” from the lawsuit left to be resolved.
Mr Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the judge, who has been baselessly accused of launching a political attack against the former president. But Mr Trump and his co-defendants could have avoided an outcome determined by Judge Engoron if their attorneys simply requested a jury.
The judge explained during the first day of the trial on 2 October that the case has no jury because neither side had “asked” for one.
Alex Woodward has the details.
Why Trump’s fraud trial doesn’t have a jury
Is GOP exploiting tragedy for partisan purposes with claims about Biden Iran deal and Hamas attacks?
01:30 , Oliver O'Connell
John Bowden writes:
In the aftermath of a shocking attack on Israeli civilian, police and military targets, war has consumed the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip.
Thousands of miles away in Washington DC, the blame game has already begun.
Images of the violence have enraged supporters of Israel and Palestine alike across America, and with the 2024 presidential election looming in the background, efforts to politicise the conflict have begun in earnest.
That was clear over the weekend as every Republican candidate in the race blamed Joe Biden and his administration for the outbreak in violence — a result, they say, of the Biden administration’s softened approach towards Iran. The Iranian government’s involvement in the conflict has been hotly debated, with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)’s support for Hamas well known but no clear evidence yet pointing to Iranian tactical or military support for the militants involved in the fight today. A Wall Street Journal report directly linked Iran’s government to the weekend attacks on Israel, citing senior Hamas and Hezbollah members, but has since been contradicted by statements from US officials.
Even Israel’s government seems conflicted over whether Iran is directly involved in the renewed fighting.
ICYMI: DC judge issues partial gag order against Trump in federal Jan 6 case
Thursday 19 October 2023 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Monday imposed a partial gag order restricting Donald Trump’s ability to make “disparaging or “inflammatory” comments about people or entities involved in the election interference case pending against him in Washington DC, after a contentious hearing in which his attorneys repeatedly made political arguments in response to legal questions from the veteran jurist.
Judge Chutkan rejected arguments by Mr Trump’s attorneys who frequently cited his status a candidate for president — something she had called irrelevant to the proceedings on more than one occasion — and claimed putting any restrictions on what he can discuss as he campaigns would violate his right to free speech
She said that even though the defence had “sought to represent every statement as part and parcel of Mr. Trump’s first amendment right to argue that this prosecution is politically motivated,” the First Amendment protections cited by Mr Trump’s counsel most “yield to the administration of justice and the protection of witnesses” with a “narrowly-tailored order to protect those interests”.
“This is not about whether I like the language Mr Trump uses. This is about language that presents a danger to the administration of justice,” she added.
Andrew Feinberg reports.
Judge issues partial gag order against Trump in federal Jan 6 case
Trump appealing narrow gag order imposed in DC 2020 election interference case
Thursday 19 October 2023 00:00 , AP
Former President Donald Trump is appealing a narrow gag order that bars him from making statements attacking prosecutors, potential witnesses and court staff in his election interference case in Washington, according to court documents filed Tuesday.
Trump’s lawyers said in court papers that they will challenge an order from US District Judge Tanya Chutkan that restricts Trump’s public statements about the case accusing him of scheming to subvert the results of the 2020 election.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s team sought the order against the Republican 2024 presidential front-runner over a litany of verbal attacks from him on likely witnesses and others. Prosecutors say Trump’s incendiary rhetoric is designed to undermine the public’s confidence in the judicial process and taint the jury pool.
During a court hearing on Monday, Chutkan said Trump can criticize the Justice Department generally and assert his belief that the case is politically motivated. Her order also explicitly says Trump is allowed to criticize the campaign platforms or policies of his political rivals, like former Vice President Mike Pence — who is both a competitor for the GOP nomination and a likely witness in the case.
Chutkan, however, said Trump can’t mount a “smear campaign” against prosecutors and court personnel. The judge, who was nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama, repeatedly expressed concern that Trump’s rhetoric could inspire his supporters to violence.
Trump slammed the gag order as he returned to court Tuesday for his civil fraud trial, insisting he is “not saying anything wrong.” His lawyers told the judge that the former president is entitled to criticize prosecutors and that the court should not to be able to restrict his First Amendment rights.
Legal experts have said Chutkan’s gag order may be just the beginning of an unprecedented fight over what limits can be a placed on the speech of a defendant who is also campaigning for America’s highest public office. The issue could ultimately end up at the US Supreme Court.
At rallies and in social media posts, Trump has repeatedly sought to vilify Smith, other prosecutors, likely witnesses and even the judge. He has called prosecutors a “team of thugs,” called Chutkan “very biased and unfair,” and referred to one potential witness as a “gutless pig.” Prosecutors also cited a post in which Trump suggested that Mark Milley, the then-retiring chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had committed treason and should be executed.
The case, which accuses Trump of scheming to subvert the results of the election, is scheduled to go to trial in March. It’s one of four criminal cases Trump is facing while he campaigns to return to the White House in 2024. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Bizarre: Republicans ‘eat their young’, Trump claims
Wednesday 18 October 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has claimed that his fellow Republicans “eat their young” in what marks his latest bizarre comments.
The former president posted a pre-recorded video on his Truth Social platform over the weekend, where he wildly appeared to compare himself to a baby eaten by its own parents.
“The Republicans eat their young, they really do, and it’s a terrible statement but it’s true,” he said.
“And that’s the problem with so many in our party; they just don’t have the loyalty and the strength to stick together.”
In the rambling clip, Mr Trump, 77, also called fellow Republicans Utah Senator Mitt Romney and Former House Speaker Paul Ryan “losers” and “RINOs”.
Holly Hales reports.
Trump bizarrely claims that Republicans ‘eat their young’
Fulton County: Judge denies Chesebro and Powell motions to dismiss criminal charges
Wednesday 18 October 2023 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell
In Atlanta, Judge Scott McAfee has denied Ken Chesebro and Sidney Powell’s motions to dismiss their criminal charges in Georgia on Supremacy Clause and First Amendment grounds.
The former Trump lawyers are two of Donald Trump’s 18 co-defendants in the sprawling case laid out by Fulton County Attorney General Fani Willis. They both demanded speedy trials and will be tried together starting on 23 October.
Read Judge McAfee’s order here: https://t.co/KVY75ufEEY
— Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) October 18, 2023
Here’s what you need to know about the Georgia indictment:
Key takeaways from the sweeping Georgia indictment against Trump and his allies
Voices: Biden’s Israel trip and GOP chaos drowns out the Trump show – for now
Wednesday 18 October 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
On Wednesday morning, President Joe Biden arrived in Israel to express solidarity with the state after the deadly attack from Hamas. In addition, Mr Biden responded to an explosion at the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in Gaza that provoked outrage by saying that US intelligence indicated the explosion was caused “by the other team.”
Meanwhile, back on American soil, the House of Representatives entered its third week without a speaker as Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH), the rightwing firebrand, failed to win enough votes to lead the lower chamber of Congress.
The split screen likely gives Mr Biden more than a small amount of glee, while many Americans see that his advanced age is not only a drawback. His 36 years as a US senator, particularly as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and his eight years as vice president, also give him wisdom and experience in handling international crises. Meanwhile, Republicans can’t even corral 217 votes to elect a speaker despite having the majority.
But what is being broadcast is just as notable as what isn’t being broadcast: news stories about former president Donald Trump. This isn’t for a dearth of coverage. As is always the case with the four-times-indicted and twice-impeached former president, a flurry of headlines always follow Mr Trump.
Just in: Biden to address nation on Israel-Hamas war and Ukraine
Wednesday 18 October 2023 22:30 , Andrew Feinberg
President Joe Biden will deliver a major address on the ten day-old war between Israel and Hamas and Russia’s nearly two year-old war against Ukraine from the Oval Office on Thursday evening, the White House has said.
Biden to address nation on Israel-Hamas war and Ukraine
NY AG James calls Trump ‘performative’, says attacks can’t change what happens in court
Wednesday 18 October 2023 22:21 , Oliver O'Connell
New York Attorney General Letitia James mades a few remarks to the press on her way out of court.
Specifically she responded to Donald Trump’s insults: “He’s called me venomous, he’s called me disgraceful, he’s called me a radical, he’s called me a racist and this is only week three.”
“None of this, which can best be described as performative, can change what’s happening in the courtroom,” Ms James continued.
"And the evidence is clear, that he inflated his statements of financial [condition] to enrich himself and his family," she added. "And nothing will change that, not the attacks on me, or anyone."
Mar-A-Lago: ‘The most expensive house, probably, in the world’, according to Trump... but not Palm Beach
Wednesday 18 October 2023 21:55 , Oliver O'Connell
Bevan Hurley reports:
Donald Trump likes to toss around eye-watering sums when estimating the value of his Florida private club Mar-a-Lago — often in the same sentence.
“The house is worth a billion, a billion and a half, $750m,” Mr Trump said in meandering remarks outside his civil fraud trial in New York on Tuesday.
It was “the most expensive house, probably, in the world,” he added.
The true value of Mar-a-Lago has been a hotly contested subject ever since Mr Trump was ruled to have fraudulently inflated the value of his commercial and residential properties from New York to Florida in order to deceive banks and officials to claim favourable tax and insurance rates.
According to public Palm Beach property records, Mar-a-Lago was valued at $37m as of 1 January 2023, up from $31m a year before.
Continued...
Trump calls Mar-A-Lago ‘the most expensive house, probably, in the world’
How is Trump-backed Jim Jordan doing in his quest to become Speaker of the House?
Wednesday 18 October 2023 21:34 , Oliver O'Connell
Not great.
The next vote on the flailing speakership bid of Rep Jim Jordan has been pushed to tomorrow.
This comes as Mr Jordan is refusing to drop his speakership bid even after losing two votes on the floor of the House.
“We got 200 votes. We picked up some today, a couple of them dropped off but they voted for me before, I think they’ll come back again. So we’ll keep talking to members, keep working on it,” Mr Jordan told the press, according to Politico.
On Wednesday, 22 Republicans voted against Mr Jordan – up from 20 on Tuesday. Four members joined the anti-Jordan coalition, while two who voted against him in the first vote went back into the fold to support him.
While some Republicans switched to support Mr Jordan, the Ohio Republican lost the support of Reps Vern Buchanan of Florida, Drew Ferguson of Georgia, Marianette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, and Pete Stauber of Minnesota.
Some Republicans, led by Rep David Joyce of Ohio, have discussed potentially giving Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry more power so the House could resume deliberation to pass spending bills to avert a government shutdown.
Catch up with the latest here.
Trump on trial: Former president had concerns over rental data becoming public, court hears
Wednesday 18 October 2023 20:39 , Oliver O'Connell
Following the lunch break, Jack Weisselberg returned to the stand with NY AG’s counsel Colleen Faherty handling direct examination. Donald Trump returned to the courtroom and is sitting with his defence team.
Faherty asked about Mr Weisselberg’s commercial real estate job at Ladder Capital, and various types of loans they specialised in and he explained, noting that the company was involved in five loans to the Trump Organization for five different buildings.
Mr Weisselberg is asked about a loan concerning Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue. He explains that in this transaction his point of contact with the Trump Organization was his father — emails are shown to the court from 2012 regarding it. The younger Mr Weisselberg told the court he understood that Mr Trump had to personally approve the Trump Tower loan before it went forward and that that was the case with all big loans involving the Trump Organization.
There is an objection from the attorney representing Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr concerning the line of questioning and she moved on to asking about Mr Weisselberg’s prior statements to the attorney general’s office.
Gucci was a major retail tenant at Trump Tower at the time and Mr Weisselberg said Mr Trump was nervous about what the Italian designer paid in rent becoming public. This would happen if the loan was sold on to investors in a securitisation.
“I recall it becoming public being a concern,” Mr Weisselberg said.
“I recall it becoming public being a concern,” Jack says.
— Stewart Bishop (@stewartbishop) October 18, 2023
Moving on, Faherty asked about a bridge loan for Mr Trump around early 2017. Mr Weisselberg said the proceeds were needed to fund a $25m settlement, which resolved fraud claims over Trump University real estate seminars.
That settlement included $21m to go to some 7,000 former students and $4m to settle a separate case brought by a former New York Attorney General.
Court goes on its mid-afternoon break and the former president leaves for the day, saying he will be back tomorrow.
Jamie Raskin told God gave him cancer as punishment by ‘Maga American'
Wednesday 18 October 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Democratic Rep Jamie Raskin had an unpleasant encounter with a MAGA supporter following the failed House speaker vote on Tuesday.
During a round of press interviews outside Congress, the Maryland congressman was approached by a man who allegedly described himself as a “Maga American”.
The man told Mr Raskin, who is battling lymphoma, that God had punished him by giving him cancer.
The man also allegedly told Mr Raskin he was on the “wrong side of history“ and should “repent,” before walking off.
Mr Raskin had a lighthearted response to the man’s remarks, telling a group of journalists: “Welcome to my world.”
Continued...
Maga supporter tells Jamie Raskin God gave him cancer as punishment
‘It’s funny’: Biden trolls Trump by joining Truth Social
Wednesday 18 October 2023 20:00 , Martha McHardy
The Biden campaign has taken its trolling of former president Donald Trump to the next level, by announcing that it has joined his Truth Social platform.
A Biden campaign spokesperson told Fox News on Monday that it plans to use its new Truth Social presence to combat misinformation – but also admitted it had joined Mr Trump’s social network site “mostly because we thought it would be very funny”.
They also said that President Joe Biden plans to “[meet] voters where they are” adding that: “Republicans can’t even agree on a speaker of the House, so clearly, not every Republican thinks the same.”
“We will be leveraging the fact that Republicans can sometimes be our best messengers,” the spokesperson added.
The first post from @BidenHQ read: “Well. Let’s see how this goes. Converts welcome!”
Biden trolls Trump by joining Truth Social because ‘it’s funny’
Full story: New York court employee arrested after ‘yelling out’ for Trump during fraud trial
Wednesday 18 October 2023 19:38 , Oliver O'Connell
Alex Woodward reports:
A woman identified as an employee of New York’s court system was arrested after approaching the front of a courtroom and calling out for Donald Trump during the 12th day of a civil trial alleging the former president and his business empire fraudulently inflated his net worth and assets for years.
The woman, whose name had not yet been released, “disrupted” the hearing on 18 October after approaching the front of the courtroom towards the defense table where Mr Trump was seated with his attorneys, according to a statement from a New York courts spokesperson.
She began “yelling out to Mr Trump indicating she wanted to assist him,” according to the statement.
New York state court officers escorted her out of New York Superior Court Judge Arthur Engoron’s courtroom on the third floor of the building on Centre Street, and she was placed into a squad car on an adjoining street.
Continued...
New York court employee arrested after ‘yelling out’ for Trump during fraud trial
How does Melania Trump feel about the New York fraud trial?
Wednesday 18 October 2023 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell
No one’s heard directly from the former first lady, but her husband — the defendant — says she’s not amused by it and like him thinks it amounts to “election interference”.
Read the full story...
Trump reveals how Melania feels about his civil fraud trial
Update: Woman arrested at Trump New York fraud trial
Wednesday 18 October 2023 19:24 , Oliver O'Connell
The woman arrested at Donald Trump’s fraud trial in Lower Manhattan today walked up to the front of the gallery (not the bench as previously reported) and approached “the well” where the former president was seated.
She was stopped by court officers stationed there and directed back to her seat. Frank Runyeon of Law360 reports that several people heard her say she wanted to speak to Mr Trump. She was led away and seen being placed in a New York State police car.
**Clarification: She walked up to the front of the gallery, approaching "the well" where Trump was seated. She was stopped by court officers stationed there and directed back to her seat. Several people heard her say she wanted to speak to Trump. She was later led out.**
— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) October 18, 2023
A statement from the court identified her as an employee who has now been placed on administrative leave.
Earlier today at the People of the State of NY vs. Trump civil trial taking place at 60 Centre Street, an individual disrupted the proceedings by standing up and walking towards the front of the courtroom and yelling out to Mr. Trump indicating she wanted to assist him. This individual was stopped by court officers before she got near Mr. Trump or any of the attorneys or other litigants. None of the parties were ever in any danger. The individual was safely escorted out of the courtroom and the courthouse by uniformed court officers and has been charged with Contempt of Court in the 2nd degree, i.e. disrupting a court proceeding.
Upon investigation, it has been determined that this individual is a court employee. The employee has been placed on immediate administrative leave pending investigation of the incident and prohibited from entering any UCS facility until further notice.
At this time we cannot offer any additional information about the employee.
Trump ‘willing to go to jail for sake of democracy’... isn’t that what his Jan 6 accusers have in mind?
Wednesday 18 October 2023 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump is being trolled after he said he would be “willing to go to jail” for the sake of democracy.
At a campaign event on Monday in Iowa, the former president told supporters: “I am willing to go to jail if that’s what it takes for our country to win and become a democracy again.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Donald Trump’s niece Mary Trump said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Ms Trump has been one of the former president’s most vocal critics, recently denouncing her “maniac” uncle for “likely” leaking Israeli intel to the Russians.
Meanwhile, blogger “John the Gnerphk” tweeted: “I’ll take him up on that in a heartbeat.”
Woman arrested after approaching bench at Trump New York fraud trial
Wednesday 18 October 2023 18:49 , Oliver O'Connell
A woman who approached the bench during Donald Trump’s fraud trial in Lower Manhattan today has been arrested and placed in a New York State police car. She reportedly asked to speak with the former president.
More details to follow...
VIDEO: Arrested woman who approached the front of the courtroom amid proceedings today in Donald Trump’s fraud trial. Officers would not immediately confirm the charge. pic.twitter.com/L5EtKLugKL
— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) October 18, 2023
Wednesday 18 October 2023 18:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Reminder: Why there is no jury in Trump’s New York fraud trial
Wednesday 18 October 2023 18:20 , Alex Woodward
A trial stemming from a $250m lawsuit against Donald Trump, his adult sons, chief associates and his business empire is proceeding without a jury in a Manhattan courtroom.
Judge Arthur Engoron is presiding over the bench trial in New York Supreme Court after his stunning 35-page decision granting New York Attorney General Letitia James a partial judgment in her favour stemming from claims in her lawsuit, which alleges a decade of fraud that exaggerated the former president’s net worth by hundreds of millions of dollars.
The judge determined that a trial isn’t necessary to determine that Mr Trump’s financial statements were fraudulent, resolving a key allegation in the case, with six other so-called “causes of action” from the lawsuit left to be resolved.
Mr Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the judge, who has been baselessly accused of launching a political attack against the former president. But Mr Trump and his co-defendants could have avoided an outcome determined by Judge Engoron if their attorneys simply requested a jury.
The judge explained during the first day of the trial on 2 October that the case has no jury because neither side had “asked” for one.
Why Trump’s fraud trial doesn’t have a jury
Wednesday 18 October 2023 18:02 , Oliver O'Connell
Court breaks for lunch.
New witness: Jack Weisselberg, son of former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg
Wednesday 18 October 2023 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell
The next witness on the stand is Jack Weisselberg, the son of former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg (who left his role after being convicted of tax fraud).
The younger Mr Weisselberg worked at Ladder Capital and got loans for his father’s company for its dealings concerning the 40 Wall Street skyscraper and to pay the settlement in the Trump University fraud case.
Direct examination is carried out by New York Attorney General counsel Colleen Faherty.
Wednesday 18 October 2023 17:41 , Oliver O'Connell
After quite a back-and-forth in the courtroom, Mr Larson finally steps down from the witness stand. The bone of contention appears to be over his initial work to appraise 40 Wall Street and the cap rate he provided the Trump Organization being used for valuations in subsequent years and by the company and whether he was aware of that or not.
He claimed that he was not aware but emails show he was in contact with Trump Organization controller Jeff McConney on at least one occasion. Mr Larson says he is unsure about the communications as they occurred a long time ago.
The Trump Organization statements of financial condition also appear to say that the valuations in question are not appraisals by Mr Larson, but are “based” on information he gave them and they then increased the cap rate figure provided.\
Larson reverses himself on this notation, noting the language does fall short of stating that it's Larson's valuation.
It claims to be "[b]ased" on information Larson provided, an interpretation the witness finds credible. pic.twitter.com/weyliiINb5— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) October 18, 2023
Mr Larson's testimony ends after a redirect from the NYAG's counsel in which earlier emails and comments are shown suggesting the witness has been consistent in his account.
Recap: Trump attorney accuses NYAG witness of lying on witness stand
Wednesday 18 October 2023 17:07 , Oliver O'Connell
Trump attorney Lazaro Fields accuses Doug Larson of lying on the witness stand, reports Stewart Bishop of Law360.
Yesterday, Mr Larson said he didn’t know that Trump Organization associates were listing him as an expert source in the company’s statements of financial condition, which the New York Attorney General says were fraudulent.
The questioning turned to whether Mr Larson in 2013 worked with Trump Organization controller and co-defendant Jeff McConney on a capitalisation rate that the company used to value Trump properties. Mr Larson said that despite being listed as an expert on the statements of financial condition he did not know that at the time.
Fields accused Mr Larson of committing perjury, he says that yesterday he testified that he didn’t work with McConney on capitalisation rates, but an email from that year indicates that he did.
“You lied yesterday Mr Larson,” Fields says.
“Did you work with Mr McConney in 2013 to determine the capitalisation rate he used to value the properties?” he asks.
Trump attorney Christopher Kise stands and says Mr Larson should be advised of his Fifth Amendment rights.
Judge Arthur Engoron asks a court officer to escort Mr Larson from the room while the lawyers discuss the issue.
The New York Attorney General counsel Colleen Faherty is not happy and says: “This is witness intimidation, your honour.”
Another lawyer describes it as a “performance”, adding: “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Kise responds: “It's not a performance, I take this very seriously.”
Judge Engoron responds: “Mr Kise... my role is to get the witness to testify. If he perjured himself yesterday or he perjured himself today, I don’t care. I just want him to testify.”
Mr Larson’s attorney asks to speak with him but Judge Engoron says no.
“Get the witness back here as soon as possible,” he says.
Trump on trial: Uproar in court over ‘witness intimidation’ as possible perjury accusation raised
Wednesday 18 October 2023 16:31 , Oliver O'Connell
Trump attorney Lazaro Fields asks witness Doug Larson: “You lied yesterday, didn’t you?!”
“I did not. That’s what I recall,” Mr Larson replies.
Frank Runyeon of Law360 reports the courtroom erupts as Trump attorney Christopher Kise says the witness was in jeopardy of perjury and New York Attorney General Counsel Colleen Faherty exclaims: “This is witness intimidation!”
A heated exchange followed with the NYAG’s team calling Kise’s comments “a performance” for the press.
Judge Arthur Engoron becomes impatient and says: “My role here is to get witnesses to testify. If he perjured himself yesterday or perjured himself today. I don’t care. I just want him to testify.”
With order restored, Fields shows notes by Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney saying that he and Mr Larson spoke, confirms that emails also show they did so, that the witness did share market data, and the company didn’t make it all up...
Now we're back to it. Fields is showing those notes by controller McConney saying they spoke and confirming that emails shows they *did* actually speak, he did share market data and that the Trump Org didn't make it all up.
— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) October 18, 2023
Trump on trial: Judge calls for quiet during witness testimony after objection to audible frustration from Trump
Wednesday 18 October 2023 16:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Appraiser Doug Larson is back on the witness stand for cross-examination by Trump attorney Lazaro Fields.
Mr Larson, previously of real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, is being questioned about his valuations of 40 Wall Street, a historic 72-storey storey skyscraper in Lower Manhattan.
Fields attempts to get Larson to admit his estimated valuations were incorrect by more than $100m but meets resistance with Larson asserting they are based on what they knew at the time they were made.
Frank Runyeon of Law360 reports from the courtroom that Donald Trump is not happy sitting at the defence bench with attorney Christopher Kise.
“He's telegraphing that as appraiser Doug Larson testifies — dropping his hands on the table, shaking his head and making sounds of frustration, talking to his attorneys.”
An objection is raised from the attorney general’s bench: “Can the defendant please stop commenting during the witness’s testimony."
Judge Arthur Engoron sustains the objection to the audible protests emanating from the former president, but without singling him out asks everyone to keep quiet, “particularly if it’s meant to influence the testimony”.
As Biden delivered remarks in Tel Aviv, Trump gave his from outside courtroom
Wednesday 18 October 2023 15:46 , Oliver O'Connell
President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he would ask Congress for “unprecedented” amounts of aid to both Israel and the Palestinian people amid escalating violence following terror attacks by Hamas and a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital.
Mr Biden, who delivered remarks in Tel Aviv after a series of meetings with Israeli officials, first responders, and survivors of the 7 October attacks, urged both sides against being consumed by anger in an escalating cycle of violence and making mistakes similar to those that the US and its allies had made in the period following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
“You are a Jewish state. You are a Jewish state. But you’re also a democracy. Like the United States, you don’t live by the rules of terrorism. You live by the rule of law. When conflict is fair, you live by the rule of law of war,” said Mr Biden, who added that what sets the US and Israel “apart from the terrorists” is a belief “‘in the fundamental dignity of every human life”.
“You can’t give up what makes you who you are. If you give that up, then the terrorists win. And we can never let them win,” he said.
[Read Andrew Feinberg’s full report on the president’s remarks]
Meanwhile, in the halls of a courthouse in Lower Manhattan, four-times indicted former president Donald Trump gave his take on the escalating tensions in the Middle East — that it wouldn’t have happened if he were president.
Watch below:
Trump starts the day with a rant at United Autoworkers
Wednesday 18 October 2023 15:38 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump began his day on Truth Social with a rant at The United Autoworkers union saying that the auto industry is “DEAD” if they don’t vote for him.
The former president wrote:
The United Autoworkers have no choice. They are not being told the truth by their union “heads.” The Auto Industry is DEAD if they don’t VOTE FOR TRUMP. I will triple their jobs within two years, immediately authorizing CHOICE OF PROPULSION IN ALL CARS (and Trucks!). Car Choice, School Choice! Under the Biden Administration, there will be no such thing as a U.S. Autoworker within 3 years. All cars and trucks will be made in China, and other foreign lands!
Mr Trump skipped the second Republican Party primary debate in September ostensibly to attend a rally of striking auto workers after the United Auto Workers (UAW) union announced industrial action. However, local reporting found that not only was the venue a non-union plant, but very few of those present were auto workers:
Mr Trump visited Drake Enterprises, a non-unionized auto parts factory, on Wednesday night while seven of his rivals in the 2024 election faced off in California.
In a speech during his visit, Mr Trump claimed “thousands of people” had gathered to meet him in Michigan.
But the composition of the audience is now under scrutiny after a report by The Detroit News claimed one attendee holding a “union members for Trump” sign admitted that she is not in a union, while another holding an “auto workers for Trump” sign said he was not an auto worker.
The event drew a crowd of about 400-500 Trump supporters, according to The Detroit News, while Drake Enterprises only has around 150 employees.
United Auto Workers union leadership has said a second Trump term in office would be a “disaster” for workers.
Meanwhile, shortly before Mr Trump showed up to his rally in Detroit, President Joe Biden became the first sitting president to join a picket line. After the much-vaunted appearance, the UAW union leader says he saw no point in meeting with Mr Trump as he doesn’t care about workers and represents the billionaire class.
Watch Joe Biden join the UAW picket line and tell workers they deserve ‘significant raise’:
Biden tells striking auto workers they deserve ‘significant raise’
Trump back at Lower Manhattan courthouse for Day 12 of fraud trial
Wednesday 18 October 2023 15:19 , Oliver O'Connell
What to expect on Day 12 of Trump’s New York civil fraud trial
Wednesday 18 October 2023 15:07 , Oliver O'Connell
New York Attorney General Letitia James hopes to put three witnesses on the stand today in its fraud trial against what she has called Donald Trump’s “sinking” empire.
Doug Larson, the former Cushman & Wakefield appraiser now at Newmark, has already testified that he got far lower values for Trump properties than they claimed in their financial statements. He now faces cross-examination after he called the Trump Organization claims that he was consulted on their valuations in years when he was not “inappropriate and inaccurate”.
Following Mr Larson we expect to hear from Jack Weisselberg, the son of former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg (who left his role after being convicted of tax fraud). The younger Mr Weisselberg worked at Ladder Capital and got loans for his father’s company for its dealings concerning the 40 Wall Street skyscraper and to pay the settlement in the Trump University fraud case.
If things run to schedule, we may also get testimony from David McArdle an appraiser with Cushman & Wakefield, who valued Mr Trump’s Westchester estate “Seven Springs” lower than was listed on the former president’s net worth statements.
Differing valuations of Mar-a-Lago fuelling Trump’s fury at case
Wednesday 18 October 2023 14:58 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump likes to toss around eye-watering sums when estimating the value of his Florida private club Mar-a-Lago — often in the same sentence.
“The house is worth a billion, a billion and a half, $750m,” Mr Trump said in meandering remarks outside his civil fraud trial in New York on Tuesday.
It was “the most expensive house, probably, in the world,” he added.
The true value of Mar-a-Lago has been a hotly contested subject ever since Mr Trump was ruled to have fraudulently inflated the value of his commercial and residential properties from New York to Florida in order to deceive banks and officials to claim favourable tax and insurance rates.
According to public Palm Beach property records, Mar-a-Lago was valued at $37m as of 1 January 2023, up from $31m a year before.
Bevan Hurley reports.
Trump claims Mar-a-Lago is worth $1.5bn. Palm Beach says it’s only worth $37m
Live feed at New York court as Trump expected to return for Day 12 of trial
Wednesday 18 October 2023 14:51 , Oliver O'Connell
Yesterday in court: Trump returns to his civil fraud trial
Wednesday 18 October 2023 14:42 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump returned to a Manhattan courtroom for the 11th day of a civil trial in a $250m lawsuit alleging widespread real-estate fraud in his business empire.
Just two weeks ago, the former president told reporters that he was “stuck” inside New York Superior Court Judge Arthur Engoron’s courtroom, watching a trial he’s not obligated to attend, and complained that he couldn’t campaign because of it.
But it appears he plans to be “stuck” there once again this week.
Mr Trump’s fourth appearance at the trial on 17 October was expected to be a long-anticipated face-off between the former president and his former attorney Michael Cohen, a star witness for New York Attorney General Letitia James and her team. Cohen’s testimony was postponed due to a scheduling conflict with an unrelated medical issue.
In one of his several brief makeshift press conferences directly outside the courtroom, with news cameras and reporters positioned behind barricades flanking either side of a short hallway, Mr Trump said that his former attorney “didn’t have the guts” to appear.
Alex Woodward filed this report from the courthouse in Lower Manhattan.
Donald Trump returns to his New York fraud trial after two gag orders
Trump claims ‘total and complete victory’ as judge denies to classify ACN law suit as class action
Wednesday 18 October 2023 14:34 , Oliver O'Connell
In the midst of all of his other legal problems, former president Donald Trump has claimed a victory in one of the less well-known cases against him after a judge turned down a motion to classify it as a class action suit.
The case in question is a federal law suit filed against Mr Trump accusing him of fraud during his time as a pitchman for business services company ACN, which was featured on Celebrity Apprentice.
The suit was filed in 2018 and accused the real estate tycoon of repeatedly making false public claims about ACN and failing to disclose that he was paid millions of dollars to endorse the multilevel marketing company.
The plaintiffs in the suit say they signed up to sell ACN’s services and paid significant sums of money for the opportunity but saw virtually no income. ACN was not named as a defendant in the suit, but a nonprofit group critical of Mr Trump did seek documents from the company by subpoena.
Yesterday, a federal judge in Manhattan turned down a bid to certify a class action in the five-year-old suit against the former president. The ruling, from Obama appointee Judge Lorna Schofield, will likely sharply limit the amount of damages Mr Trump may have to pay.
The former president celebrated on Truth Social, posting: “Today we had a Total and Complete Victory against Far Left Lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, on her ridiculous ACN Class Action Suit, yet another Election Interference Case. It was ruled that there can be no Class Action, and Certification was denied!”
Ms Kaplan also represented E Jean Carroll in her litigation of the former president in which he was found liable for her sexual assault and defamation.
How does Melania feel about Trump’s fraud trial?
Wednesday 18 October 2023 14:25 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has revealed what former first lady Melania Trump allegedly thinks of his trial in New York in remarks during a break from proceedings in court this morning.
The former president is currently on trial for civil fraud charges brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Now, thanks to comments captured by videographer Kyle Mazza of News12 New Jersey, the former first lady’s apparent thoughts on the case are known.
Read more...
Trump reveals how Melania feels about his civil fraud trial
Fox News attorney claims network only settled Dominion lawsuit for one reason
Wednesday 18 October 2023 14:05 , Oliver O'Connell
The top lawyer for Fox News says the network paid $787m to settle the Dominion lawsuit to save “months of pain.”
Viet Dinh blasted the judge in the election defamation case brought by the voting technology company at a Harvard Law School event, reported CNN.
“We knew we were right in the law, (but) the trial judge put us in a situation increasingly where it was very obvious that we were not able to win the trial, but we were very confident we would prevail on appeal,” said Mr Dinh, Fox Corporation’s outgoing chief legal and policy officer, according to the news network.
He added: “As the judge compounded error upon error, we would get more and more confident in our ultimate chances of prevailing on appeal — because at some point, it became not just a matter of reversible error, it called into the fundamental fairness and integrity of the Delaware civil justice system.”
Rupert Murdoch settled the case brought by Dominion against Fox News and its parent company after hosts and guests repeatedly and falsely claimed on air that Dominion voting machines rigged the 2020 presidential election by recording Donald Trump’s votes for Joe Biden.
‘Sounds like a plan’: Trump trolled for saying he’s ‘willing to go to jail for sake of democracy’
Wednesday 18 October 2023 13:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump is being trolled after he said he would be “willing to go to jail” for the sake of democracy.
At a campaign event on Monday in Iowa, the former president told supporters: “I am willing to go to jail if that’s what it takes for our country to win and become a democracy again.”
Mr Trump is currently facing a number of criminal indictments, at both the federal level and in state cases in New York and Georgia.
One such indictment relates to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, for which he could receive a maximum sentence of 55 years.
Trump trolled for saying he’s ‘willing to go to jail for sake of democracy’
Trump’s fraud trial has no jury — what’s that about?
Wednesday 18 October 2023 13:15 , Alex Woodward
A trial stemming from a $250m lawsuit against Donald Trump, his adult sons, chief associates and his business empire is proceeding without a jury in a Manhattan courtroom.
Judge Arthur Engoron is presiding over the bench trial in New York Supreme Court after his stunning 35-page decision granting New York Attorney General Letitia James a partial judgment in her favour stemming from claims in her lawsuit, which alleges a decade of fraud that exaggerated the former president’s net worth by hundreds of millions of dollars.
The judge determined that a trial isn’t necessary to determine that Mr Trump’s financial statements were fraudulent, resolving a key allegation in the case, with six other so-called “causes of action” from the lawsuit left to be resolved.
Mr Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the judge, who has been baselessly accused of launching a political attack against the former president. But Mr Trump and his co-defendants could have avoided an outcome determined by Judge Engoron if their attorneys simply requested a jury.
The judge explained during the first day of the trial on 2 October that the case has no jury because neither side had “asked” for one.
