Donald Trump begins 2024 campaign with Waco rally

Claire Peterson on September 25, 2023

Donald Trump – Notwithstanding the criminal probes started against him, Donald Trump is proceeding with his presidential bid.

The ruling might put the United States in a political and legal dilemma.

Campaign rally

Donald Trump hosted his first official 2024 campaign event on Saturday.

During a rally in Waco, Texas, the former president raged against “prosecutorial misconduct.”

Trump has maintained his innocence during many investigations in New York, Georgia, and Washington.

Despite the lack of proof, Donald Trump claimed the investigations were politically driven attempts to sabotage his presidential bid in 2024 over the Waco rally.

“Prosecutorial misconduct is their new tool, and they’re willing to use it at levels never seen before in our country,” said Trump.

“We’ve had it, but we’ve never had it like this.”

“We must stop them and we must not allow them to go through another election where they have yet another tool in their tool kit.”

On signs raised by supporters, the words “Witch hunt” were printed.

“Our opponents have done everything they can to crush our spirit and break our will,” he said.

“But they’ve failed. They’ve only made us stronger.”

The Waco Regional Airport ceremony was reminiscent of Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, which lay the groundwork for his 2024 goal.

The location

Donald Trump’s event was held in Waco, Texas, 30 years after federal and state police assaulted the headquarters of the Branch Davidian doomsday cult in Waco.

86 individuals were killed during a 51-day siege.

For the extremist right, it has since become a symbol of government overreach.

At the event, Trump made no mention of the siege, but a spokeswoman claimed Waco was chosen due to its centralized location, allowing it to get to many Texan population centers.

“This is the ideal location to have as many supporters from across the state and in neighboring states to attend this historic rally,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Donald Trump.

Investigations

The return of Donald Trump to his favorite event raises many questions.

The court is investigating a hush money payment for a ten-year-old dispute in New York.

Similarly, Georgia is investigating his attempts to invalidate the 2020 presidential election.

Apart from Trump’s efforts to steal the 2020 presidential election, Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith is looking into concealed records discovered at his Mar-a-Lago home.

Eventually, the former president is being probed for his role in the insurgency that began on January 6, 2021.

The hush money & documents

Alvin Bragg, a Manhattan District Attorney probing Trump’s alleged participation in the Stormy Daniels hush money case, feels the investigation is reaching its conclusion.

Yet, Donald Trump predicted his arrest on the social media network Truth Social, warning that it may lead to death and destruction, which would be bad for the United States.

His former lawyer, Michael Cohen, acknowledged paying a woman $130,000 to keep the affair disguised before the 2016 election.

Trump has often denied the affair, and he reiterated his denial on Saturday night, making disparaging statements about Daniels.

Donald Trump’s defense attorney, Evan Corcoran, went before a federal grand jury in Washington on Friday.

He was supposed to offer answers on the sensitive materials investigation, which Trump failed to conceal.

As part of the criminal investigation into plots to rig the 2020 presidential election, a federal judge ordered six of Trump’s associates to appear before a grand jury.

Ron DeSantis & other leaders

Donald Trump chastised Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during his address in Waco.

DeSantis appears to be exploring a presidential bid, and early surveys suggest he may be a dangerous opponent.

Trump claimed credit for Desantis’ win in the 2018 Florida governor’s race.

Despite a worse-than-expected GOP national showing, DeSantis was comfortably re-elected in 2022.

Trump said that previous Republican governors had kept Florida affluent for decades and that he deserved little credit for it.

Additionally, he stated that DeSantis was particularly forceful in terms of public safety measures during the early stages of the outbreak.

Republic executives in South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee fared better, according to the former president.

“I’m not a big fan,” Trump said about DeSantis.

“He’s a disciple of Paul Ryan. That’s why he wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare.”

Donald Trump congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping for their meeting in Moscow during the occasion.

He portrayed them as “intelligent people” debating the next century’s world order, calling it “one of the saddest things you can imagine.”

“I get along with Putin,” said Trump, revealing he regularly talked about Ukraine.

“He wanted a piece. Now, it looks like he’ll probably end up getting the whole thing.”

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Donald Trump carries on after 2 legal counsel withdrew

Nicholas Alexander on June 19, 2023

Donald Trump — Former US President Donald Trump was charged with mishandling classified material after leaving the White House.

Aside from the document issue, Trump is accused of obstructing investigations into file storage at his Mar a Lago home on seven counts.

The allegations surface as Trump prepares to compete for re-election in 2024.

Despite the gravity of the situation, legal experts believe the indictment will not prohibit him from running for president.

Donald Trump’s connection with his legal team has recently deteriorated, with cracks showing when one of his attorneys announced their retirement from the case.

The recent withdrawal

Jim Trusty and John Rowley, two lawyers, have resigned from the lawsuit.

Trusty asserted in a court statement requesting leave to withdraw:

“Mr. Trusty’s withdrawal is based upon irreconcilable differences between Counsel and Plaintiff, and Counsel can no longer effectively and properly represent Plaintiff.”

Trusty and Rowley have stated that they would no longer defend Donald Trump in relation to the special counsel’s investigation.

The claims come from Trump’s alleged possession of secret government documents during his presidential campaign, as well as his obstructing the FBI’s investigation into the materials.

When the allegations were made public, Trusty and Rowley resigned.

Despite the claims, Donald Trump remained defiant and pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.

Despite the departures of Jim Trusty and John Rowley from the team, Trump’s defamation case against CNN remains active, since he maintains legal counsel in Florida for the civil litigation.

Continued fight

Despite the absence of Trusty and Rowley, Donald Trump’s lawyers are still attempting to get Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s criminal case moved from state to federal court.

They filed a request for transfer to federal court in May.

Trump’s supporters said that the charges leveled against him arose from his obligations as President.

Bragg’s office claims that his alleged hush money scheme was already in place before Donald Trump was elected.

They also want the New York State Supreme Court to consider the matter.

Another hearing is set for June 27 in federal court in Manhattan before District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton.

Donald Trump’s attorney asked Hellerstein on Thursday to deny Bragg’s plea to take the matter to the state Supreme Court.

The filing states:

“A criminal case is removable to federal court where a federal officer is charged for conduct for or relating to any act under color of federal office arising under color of his office and identifies a colorable federal defense.”

Charges

In April, Donald Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying corporation documents.

They are related to hush money payments made to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen during his presidential campaign in 2016.

The hush money was purportedly given to women who claimed to have had extramarital affairs with Trump, which Trump denies.

Trump has refused to plead guilty to the 34 charges of falsifying company paperwork.

During his argument, Trump’s lawyers contended that the allegations violate federal campaign financing standards rather than state regulations.

In their latest filing, they wrote:

“Such an alleged scheme, albeit nonexistent, could only violate federal, not state, campaign finance laws, as made clear by both the federal jurisprudence and the New York State election board.”

“Indeed, federal preemption is a classic example of a federal defense justifying removal.”

Despite efforts to get the case transferred to federal court, it is still ongoing.

The matter is currently before New York State Judge Juan Merchan, with a trial date in New York County set for March 25, 2024.

The trial might begin as early as early 2024, during the Republican primary season.

Stormy Daniels wants to testify against Donald Trump

Nicholas Alexander on April 10, 2023

Stormy Daniels — Former President Donald Trump appeared in a Manhattan courtroom this week to respond to charges of a hush-money payment scheme.

Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, is said to have paid Trump to be silent about an alleged affair.

The former president entered a not guilty plea.

Stormy Daniels has stated that she is “absolutely” willing to testify in Trump’s criminal trial in New York.

She revealed her desire to testify against the former president during an interview with Piers Morgan.

“Having them call me in and put me on the stand legitimizes my story and who I am,” said Daniels, making her first comments.

“And if they don’t, it almost feels like they’re hiding me.”

“And people automatically assume – I would – that, ‘Oh, she must not be a good witness, she’s not credible.”

Morgan asked Daniels if she intended to testify, and Daniels responded, “Oh, absolutely.”

Charges

On Tuesday, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in Manhattan criminal court to 34 felony allegations of tampering with corporate documents.

Prosecutors alleged the activities were part of a scheme to hide payments made to Stormy Daniels during her presidential campaign in 2016.

They were meant to keep her quiet about her previous connection with Trump, which he has always denied.

Daniels, for the time being, has not been charged with any violations.

Daniels and Trump

Stormy Daniels said Thursday in an interview that if Trump is found guilty, he should not be imprisoned.

The criminal allegations filed against Trump may result in a jail sentence of one to four years.

Donald Trump might face probation if proven guilty.

“Specific to my case, I don’t think that his crimes against me are worthy of incarceration,” she said.

Stormy Daniels also commented on Trump’s appearance in court on Tuesday, saying:

“The king has been dethroned, he’s no longer untouchable.”

“And nobody should be untouchable. It doesn’t matter what your job description is, whether you’re the president.”

“Like you should be held responsible for your actions.”

Stormy Daniels has yet to come before the grand jury in charge of the hush-money investigation.

She did, however, state that she would “love nothing more” than to be questioned for the 2021 investigation.

She stated that her attorney was in contact with Manhattan and New York state officials at the time.

She also discussed meeting with them to discuss additional concerns.

Daniels stated that if a grand jury or investigators approached her, she would tell them all she knew.

Supporter backlash

Stormy Daniels published a tell-all book in 2018 that went into great detail about the alleged encounter.

Her lawyer stated at the time that the book’s purpose was to establish that her narrative about having a sexual relationship with Trump was real.

Daniels told Morgan that she has been threatened by Trump fans for a long time, but the threats have recently grown more specific and detailed.

“They’re a lot more passionate – I guess that’s a good word,” she said.

“Enthusiastic with their threats. And they’re not hiding. And they genuinely feel that they are doing something right. That they are patriots.”

“Now they are doing it like a suicide bomber,” Daniels added.

“They truly… in the depths of their soul, they feel like they are doing the right thing.”

Stormy Daniels claims that one of the distinctions is the manner in which individuals make threats.

She went on to say that instead of communicating anonymously, they’ve been utilizing their actual email addresses, phone numbers, and social media handles.

Hearing and determination

Donald Trump is projected to be a Republican candidate in the 2024 elections, but recent events have given him a mountain to climb.

The next hearing in the case is set for December 4.

According to legal experts, a trial may not begin for another year, and an indictment or conviction would not bar Trump from running for president.

Stormy Daniels has stated that she will testify if the matter gets to trial.

“I have nothing to hide,” she said. “I’m the only one that has been telling the truth.”

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Donald Trump stays as a top GOP favorite for 2024

Claire Peterson on April 3, 2023

Donald Trump — Donald Trump made history as the first president, former or current, to be charged last week.

After much deliberation, the Manhattan grand jury reached its conclusion.

This is one of a number of high-profile Trump issues.

A surprising rally

One would believe that Donald Trump’s political ambitions are jeopardized by a slew of accusations leveled against him.

Yet, many Republican leaders have refrained from attacking him.

Instead, they have targeted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the charges against Trump.

Similarly, betting markets continue to imply that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee in 2024.

Improved prospects

The indictment tipped the globe on its axis, ushering in a one-of-a-kind situation marked by altering political realities.

Donald Trump’s popularity is most likely due to three factors:

Despite the indictment hanging over his head, Trump’s polling lead in the GOP primary for 2024 has increased in the previous month.
Republicans think the inquiries are driven by politics.
Most Trump supporters are indifferent about his odds in November.

Similarly, surveys from Fox News, Monmouth University, and Quinnipiac University indicate that Donald Trump’s chances in the Republican primary are growing.

In March, Trump had a double-digit lead in surveys.

Furthermore, the former president earned an edge over his closest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has yet to launch his campaign.

In February, Trump had a 12-point lead.

Divided sentiments

The Quinnipiac poll’s results were made public last week.

Just 18% of registered Republican voters believed Trump’s claims about a New York hush money scheme were true.

58% of people thought they weren’t.

The indictment may cause a shift in thinking, but it may not be as big as it appears.

The majority of Republicans, according to the Quinnipiac survey, do not believe Alvin Bragg is objective.

Virtually every Republican (93%) and the majority of people (63%), thought his case was politically motivated.

When it comes to any indictment, Republicans appear to be on Trump’s side.

According to a recent Marist College survey, respondents thought the multiple Trump probes were justified or a “witch hunt.”

The 2020 elections

In addition to the Manhattan case, Donald Trump has been tied to the Capitol Riot.

Most Republicans believe his efforts to reverse the 2020 election result were not unlawful.

According to polls, the vast majority of Republicans feel President Trump’s actions were appropriate.

The majority of Americans thought Joe Biden won only because of voting fraud.

The bigger picture

Republicans’ notion that the cases are politically motivated is only part of the issue.

Another thing to consider is how Republicans see Donald Trump in comparison to the larger general electorate.

Republicans feel he is innocent, but his legal concerns will be a stumbling block in the general election because people believe the investigations are fair.

Polls suggest that agreement on ideology is more important than electability for Republican primary candidates.

A CNN survey found that Republicans and Republican-leaning independents preferred criticizing Biden over policy agreement by a margin of 59% to 41%.

Trump supporters were divided, with 61% believing that agreement on issues should take precedence over electability and 39% disagreeing.

The results indicate a significant shift from what occurred in the 2020 Democratic primary.

By March 2020, 73% of Biden backers had persuaded voters to choose electability above issue agreement.

In other words, Biden’s pitch to Democrats surpassed Trump’s pitch to Republicans.

A new hope

Even while most Republicans believe other possible contenders have a better chance of unseating Biden, Trump remains the favorite.

According to a February Marist survey, 54% of Republicans believe that someone other than Trump may help the Republican Party reclaim the White House in 2024.

But, Republican voters in 2023 may not have made a mistake.

Notwithstanding the expected electability challenges, Donald Trump appears to be developing a general election poll advantage against Joe Biden sooner in the 2024 cycle than he did in the 2020 cycle.

But, according to the same study, DeSantis outperforms Trump vs Biden, which is aligned with how most Republicans feel.

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Donald Trump indictment announced by Manhattan grand jury

Nicholas Alexander on April 3, 2023

Donald Trump — In a Manhattan grand jury indictment, Donald Trump is indicted with more than 30 charges of corporate fraud, according to two sources.

The indictment marks the first time in American history that a current or past president has been charged with a crime.

Donald Trump is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

The indictment was filed under secrecy and will be released soon, but no charges have been released.

Investigations

The District Attorney’s Office in Manhattan was looking into Donald Trump’s possible involvement in a hush money payment scheme and protection involving adult film star Stormy Daniels.

The adultery scandal broke almost a decade ago, but the hush money claims broke just before the 2016 presidential election.

Although grand jury proceedings are private, a source alleges that a witness spoke with the grand jury for more than 30 minutes before deciding to indict Trump.

The decision

With this decision, the American political system will undoubtedly alter and enter unknown territory.

The fact that a previous leader faces criminal charges while running for president for the second time is unprecedented.

Notwithstanding this, Donald Trump issued a statement following the indictment in which he alleged political persecution and high-level electoral intervention.

“I believe this Witch-Hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden,” said Trump.

“The American people realize exactly what the Radical Left Democrats are doing here. Everyone can see it.”

“So our Movement, and our Party – united and strong – will first defeat Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Getting the news

According to one insider, Trump was surprised by the grand jury’s decision to charge him.

Trump predicted an indictment, but he expected it to take several weeks.

“Is this a shock today? Hell yes,” said the anonymous source.

Meanwhile, Bragg’s office summoned Trump’s legal team.

“This evening, we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan DA’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal,” Bragg’s office said on Thursday.

“Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected.”

The campaign and witch hunt

Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy in 2024 received a new twist when he announced his intention to run despite criminal accusations.

Trump has often called his probes a “witch hunt.”

He has tried to persuade the public by presenting himself as a victim of Democratic prosecutors’ political investigations.

As the day for his indictment approaches, Donald Trump urged his followers to protest his arrest, repeating his call to action in the 2020 election, when he swore retribution for his failure.

He has long dodged legal consequences for his personal, professional, and political acts, settling numerous private civil cases and making payments to get out of Trump Organization issues.

As president, he was impeached twice by the Democratic-led House but was not convicted by the Senate.

Despite the fact that he has not been indicted, the Trump Organization was charged with multiple tax fraud offenses in December.

Trump loyalists and Republicans alike pressured the Manhattan district attorney’s office for the indictment in 2024.

“I think the unprecedented indictment of a former president of the United States on a campaign finance issue is an outrage,” said former Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday.

“It appears to millions of Americans to be nothing more than a political prosecution that’s driven by a prosecutor who literally ran for office on a pledge to indict the former president.”

GOP comes to Trump’s defense

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has promised to look into the incident.

Republicans in Congress, on the other hand, rushed to Trump’s support, accused Bragg of waging a political witch hunt on Twitter.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan slammed the charges and requested that Bragg come before Congress about the probe.

Senator Ted Cruz called the indictment “completely unprecedented,” claiming that it further militarizes the justice system.

On the other side, one Republican trusted in the judicial system.

“I believe in the rule of law,” stated Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon.

“I think we have checks and balances and I trust the system.”

“We have a judge. We have jurors. There is appeals. So I think in the end, justice will be done.”

“If he’s guilty, it will show up. But if not, I think that will be shown too.”

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Mike Pence joins Trump and Biden in holding documents

Jason Robinson on March 20, 2023

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Mike Pence: Over a dozen pieces of classified documents were discovered at the former vice president’s Indiana home last week by a lawyer working on his behalf.

People familiar with the matter claim that the attorney gave the FBI the papers.

Since then, the National Security Division of the Justice Department and the FBI have taken it upon themselves to review the information.

They are also looking into how the files ended up at Mike Pence’s house in Indiana.

The news

The classified papers were found at Pence’s Carmel, Indiana, residence.

It comes after the discovery of confidential documents in President Joe Biden’s residence and office.

Mike Pence argued strenuously that he possessed any classified data before the information was discovered.

The contents of the documents and their level of confidentiality are not yet disclosed.

When Pence’s staff heard about the documents on Tuesday night, they immediately informed the appropriate congressional leaders and committees.

Out of a sense of prudence, the former vice president requested that his lawyer, who was familiar with confidential information, visit his home.

Lawyer Matt Morgan allegedly found a few papers marked “classified” last week while going through four boxes at Pence’s house.

They advised the National Archives of their discoveries, who subsequently informed the Justice Department.

The pickup

When the FBI sought to relocate the records that evening, Mike Pence reportedly consented, according to his attorney.

On Monday, his legal team returned the boxes to Washington, DC, and gave them to the Archives for examination in accordance with the Presidential Records Act.

According to a letter by Greg Jacob, Mike Pence’s representative at the Archives, a small collection of documents were unintentionally packaged and shipped to Pence’s residence.

“Vice President Pence was unaware of the existence of sensitive or classified documents at his personal residence,” wrote Jacobs.

“Vice President Pence understands the high importance of protecting sensitive and classified information and stands ready and willing to cooperate fully with the National Archives and any appropriate inquiry.”

The boxes

According to sources, Pence’s temporary house in Virginia is where the packages holding the sensitive documents were held before being shipped to Indiana.

The boxes were taped, even though they weren’t kept in a safe place.

According to Pence’s attorney, there was no sign that the things had been opened.

The documents were kept in a safe inside the residence when they were discovered.

The former Vice President’s advocacy organization’s Washington, DC, headquarters, according to the lawyer, are the subject of an investigation.

However, no additional records could be found.

Biden and Trump

The investigation on Joe Biden and Donald Trump was the same that resulted in the revelation of Mike Pence’s possession of sensitive documents.

Rumors that he is getting ready to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 coincide with the statement.

In August 2022, the FBI filed a search warrant and examined Trump’s Florida home.

Vice President Mike Pence asserted that he didn’t have any classified information at that time.

“No, not to my knowledge,” said Pence.

He was again questioned about whether or not he had carried any documents home in November.

He claimed not to have.

“Well, there’d be no reason to have classified documents, particularly if they were in an unprotected area,” Pence explained.

“But I will tell you that I believe there had to be many better ways to resolve that issue than executive a search warrant at the personal residence of a former president of the United States.”

VP residence and White House boxes

When Mike Pence declared his departure as vice president, the process was drawn out.

They went through every single Presidential Records Act-covered document, both classified and unclassified, and turned it in.

The procedure was avoided since the vast bulk of the papers and Pence’s personal files were located apart from his home.

He maintains a secure area at his home near the US Naval Observatory in Washington where he processes sensitive information.

As the Trump administration drew to a close, some boxes at the Indiana residence were packed from the vice president’s residence, while others arrived from the White House.

Effect on Biden situation

The documents discovered at Mike Pence’s residence mark the third instance of a president or vice president hoarding classified material inappropriately after leaving office.

The mishandling of classified documents by Biden and Trump is currently under investigation by special counsels.

A source claims that Pence’s most recent discoveries point to a structural issue with the Presidential Records Act and classified materials.

The FBI searched Biden’s Wilmington home on Friday in search of further important documents..

When Biden’s attorneys discovered classified info in his private office in November 2022, they conducted the search.

The defense team for Biden highlighted that they are working with the Justice Department and attempting to distinguish their client’s position from that of Trump.

The news from Tuesday is good for Biden’s allies and government officials.

“It turns down the temperature on this being a Biden-only story,” said one official.

They expressed anticipation that the Mike Pence records would show that Biden’s staffers weren’t the only ones to improperly pack sensitive information.

Allen Weisselberg to serve his jail sentence of 5 months immediately

Jason Robinson on January 16, 2023

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Allen Weisselberg: The Trump Organization’s longtime (now former) CFO recently got handed a five-month jail sentence.

The sentence

A New York judge gave Allen Weisselberg a jail sentence for his collaboration in a ten-year tax fraud scheme.

Weisselberg testified as New York’s witness in court against the former president’s organization.

He will start fulfilling his sentence as soon as he arrives at the notorious Rikers Island prison in New York City.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Weisselberg won’t be detained among the general population.

He will live in an infirmary facility.

Trump Organization

A Manhattan jury earlier this month found two Trump Organization companies guilty of a slew of tax fraud charges.

They were found guilty of falsifying company records and not disclosing and paying taxes on top of executive wages as part of a 15-year scheme to defraud tax officials.

The Trump Organization and the Trump Payroll Organization were guilty of all the allegations.

Although Trump exploited executive benefits and his name was constantly mentioned, he and his family were not convicted.

Weisselberg

The former CFO admitted guilt to 15 counts in August.

As part of a deal with the prosecutors, Allen Weisselberg was required to provide testimony at the Trump Organization trial.

In addition, he was ordered to pay back taxes, penalties, and interest totaling $2 million.

Furthermore, Weisselberg had to relinquish his right to appeal.

Allen Weisselberg admitted that his over $200,000 annual off-the-books compensation should have been subject to taxation.

This payment covered the following:

A luxurious Manhattan apartment overlooking the Hudson River
Car leases for two Mercedes Benz
Parking space
Utilities
Furniture
Private school tuition for grandchildren

The judge, Juan Merchan, said on Tuesday that, after hearing the evidence, he would have handed a harsher punishment than five months.

Without the deal, Weisselberg might have been sentenced to five to fifteen years in jail.

He might spend just over 100 days in jail if a third of his sentence is commuted due to good behavior.

Prosecutors

Judge Merchan discovered the CFO’s falsification of a $6,000 payroll check to his wife.

The vilest act of his greed, according to Merchan, was his wife’s eligibility for Social Security benefits.

The CFO’s attorney had requested a lighter sentence due to Weisselberg’s old age and other factors, and the judge stated he had to comply.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s prosecutor testified that Allen Weisselberg had complied with the conditions of his plea deal before Merchan’s decision.

According to prosecutor Susan Hoffinger, he delivered an honest deposition in December against Trump Corp. and Trump Payroll Corp.

She claimed he paid authorities the additional $1 million in back taxes and penalties he incurred last week.

In total, Weisselberg spent more than $2 million.

Attorney & judge

The CFO would likely find Tuesday unpleasant, but Weisselberg’s attorney, Nicholas Gravante, maintained that he had been preparing for months since pleading guilty in August.

“Mr. Weisselberg came to court today ready to begin his sentence, and he is grateful that it has now begun,” said the attorney.

“He deeply regrets the lapse in judgment that resulted in his conviction, and he regrets it most because of the pain it has caused his loving wife, his sons, and wonderful grandchildren.”

Regardless of who you are or who you work for, the plea and sentence, in Manhattan, “you have to play by the rules,” according to New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

“Now, he and two Trump companies have been convinced of felonies, and Weisselberg will serve a jail sentence for his crimes,” he added.

Legal woes

Allen Weisselberg was named as a defendant in the $250 million civil legal case by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York.

She claimed that the Trump Organization defrauded insurers, lenders, and tax authorities for over a decade by inflating the worth of various Trump Organization properties.

James named the perpetrators of the schemes, which included Weisselberg, Trump, his three eldest children, and other executives.

The former US President denied the accusations and argued that political motivations were behind the case’s instigation.

Weisselberg admitted during the tax fraud trial last year that he mingled with others at the Trump Organization.

Donald Trump, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr. were part of a number of talks.

However, he assured the jury that he didn’t plan anything or coordinate with any Trump family members.

Two Trump Organization enterprises were found guilty in December after two hours of deliberation on the following charges:

Multiple charges of tax fraud
Falsifying business records.

According to someone with knowledge of the situation, Allen Weisselberg allegedly received a severance package when he left the Trump Organization on Tuesday.

Other investigations

Weisselberg’s conviction brings to a close one of the most prolonged inquiries into the Trump Organization by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

The prosecution has looked into the accuracy of the companies’ financial statements in considerable detail.

Recent developments have brought to light the company’s involvement in the hush-money payments to prevent adult film star Stormy Daniels from publicizing an affair with Donald Trump before the 2016 election.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly denied the allegations.

References:

Allen Weisselberg, former Trump Org. CFO, sentenced to 5 months in jail

Trump Organization found guilty on all counts of criminal tax fraud

TikTok ban might be pushed back due to its popularity

Jason Robinson on January 2, 2023

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TikTok: Over the past few years, the video-sharing app has drawn a lot of attention, and a ban looks inevitable.

Security problems have plagued TikTok consistently from the former President Donald Trump’s administration.

However, the business has endured the Trump term.

Since then, it has gained popularity, becoming the most downloaded app in the US between 2020 and 2022.

If the ban were to go into effect, it would have an effect on numerous business owners who were successful on TikTok.

The future of TikTok

In 2020, there were over 100 million users of the video-sharing app.

Over the following years, TikTok’s influence on American culture, influencers’ lives, and business owners’ lives grew.

During that time, Republican governors had started to be cautious of the app.

They recently ruled that state employees are not allowed to install TikTok on devices that belong to the government.

While this was going on, an FCC panel with a Republican majority pressed Apple and Google to take more severe action against TikTok.

A bill to ban the app in the US was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio and two other US lawmakers.

A thorough investigation into TikTok’s and other social media platforms’ effects on younger users is currently ongoing as the political witch-hunt continues.

On whether the content on TikTok is appropriate for teenage viewers, there are differences of opinions.

Since the TikTok algorithm could lead to the uploading of potentially harmful content, worries concerning it are also frequently voiced.

Criticism

Washington has criticized TikTok because of its parent company’s connections to China.

The concerns grew after a Buzzfeed News report this year revealed that some US user data had been accessed from China.

According to a worker cited in the article, China could see everything.

While this was going on, TikTok acknowledged that some Chinese employees had access to user data from the US.

Negotiations

Negotiations between the video-sharing app and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) date back a few years.

They have been working to reach a compromise that would meet national security concerns while still enabling the app to run.

However, there have been reports of negotiation delays.

According to national security experts, TikTok’s popularity just makes it more challenging to ban the program.

The effectiveness of a ban on TikTok has been questioned by some of its critics.

A bill written by Senator Josh Hawley forbids TikTok from being used on US government devices.

He said last week that he would be okay with a deal between TikTok and the US government that safeguards user data.

“But if they don’t do that then I think we’re going to have to look at more stringent measures,” said Hawley.

The community

Even as lawmakers have stepped up their calls for stricter rules on the app, TikTok users have been developing a sense of community.

The video-sharing app has become a source of income for many people.

Through TikTok, the following were made possible:

Culinary habits
Fashion and beauty trends
Reviving old music
Popularizing new songs

Additionally, US politicians have promoted their campaigns for the midterm elections using TikTok.

The renowned news organization Associated Press, which has been around for 176 years, just joined the app in an effort to reach new audiences.

“So many people, myself included, are always on TikTok,” said user Kahlil Greene.

“That’s where we get our entertainment from, our news from, our musical taste from, our social inside jokes we make with friends come from memes that started on TikTok.”

Green has amassed more than 580,000 followers as a result of his documentation of social and cultural issues, as the “Gen Z historian.”

The Biden administration ultimately took notice of his popularity and invited him to a White House press briefing about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“So much of our culture and lives are driven by TikTok,” Greene added.

“Now that it’s not just something you can rip away easily.”

Popularity

TikTok is unquestionably one of the most popular social networking services in the US.

The company, which is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, is dedicated to moving user data to Oracle’s cloud platform.

Significant modifications are also being made to isolate US user data from that of other business sectors.

Weeks earlier, TikTok declared it will restructure its US-focused legal, policy, and content moderation teams in collaboration with a special internal committee led by US-based authorities.

In response to the bill, a TikTok spokesperson said:

“It’s troubling that rather than encouraging the Administration to conclude its national security review of TikTok, some members of Congress have decided to push for a politically-motivated ban that will do nothing to advance the national security of the United States.”

“We will continue to brief members of Congress on the plans that have been developed under the oversight of our country’s top national security agencies – plans that we are well underway in implementing – to further secure our platform in the United States.”

In addition, the spokesperson highlighted TikTok’s popularity by saying:

“TikTok is loved by millions of Americans who use the platform to learn, grow their businesses, and connect with creative content that brings them joy.”

Other notes

While other tech companies have been dismissing employees, TikTok has continued to hire staff, particularly American engineers.

Recent job listings suggest that the business may be attempting to build its own domestic warehouse network in an effort to overtake Amazon as the top online retailer.

TikTok’s enormous popularity poses issues for the federal government, according to Rick Sofield, a partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP who specializes in export restrictions, national security reviews, and economic penalties.

“I think their minds are made up that ByteDance owning is a national security concern,” said Sofield.

“The reason that we’ve been hung up is it’s too big to fail, and they’re trying to figure out a soft landing.”

“There’s a whole lot of things I think that would have to happen first, before there’s a ban.”

Reference:

TikTok might be too big to ban, no matter what lawmakers say

Donald Trump slumps in voter standing based on recent poll

Leah Cooper on December 19, 2022

…

Although he doesn’t have the same power as before, former president Donald Trump recently announced his bid for the presidency in 2024.

Trump’s support among voters has reportedly dropped to its lowest point in more than seven years, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday.

The poll

Only a tiny 31% of registered voters have a favorable opinion of the former US President, according to a Quinnipiac University survey.

An adverse opinion was held by 59% of poll respondents.

According to the university, Donald Trump’s rating in the study is at its lowest point since he declared his first presidential campaign in July 2015.

Independent voters believed that nothing was improving.

In contrast, only 25% of respondents endorsed Donald Trump, while 62% thought less favorably of him.

The evaluation was his lowest among the group ever since Quinnipiac published the survey in May 2015.

Trump saw a somewhat stronger showing from his fellow Republicans, who gave him 70% favorable and 20% negative votes.

Despite the significant difference, Trump’s approval rating was still at its lowest since March 2016.

One thousand four hundred fifty-six registered voters were questioned between last Thursday and this past Monday for the poll, which had a 2.6 percentage point margin of error.

“Former President Trump’s post-presidential announcement numbers are heading in the wrong direction,” said Tim Malloy, a polling analyst for Quinnipiac University.

“You would have to go back at least six years to find less support for him from Republican, independent, and American voters as a whole.”

Biden

A Quinnipiac University survey found that President Joe Biden’s job approval rating rose to its highest point since September 2021, despite being still below average.

The survey showed an improvement from the Quinnipiac poll in November, even though 43% of participants supported and 49% disapproved of Biden’s initiatives.

According to the poll, he had a 36% approval rating for his performance and a 55% disapproval rating.

President Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in 2020 but hasn’t said whether he plans to run for politics again in 2024.

He did, however, promise to challenge Trump once again.

Despite his assertions, the majority of registered voters polled by Quinnipiac stated they would rather not see Trump or Biden nominated for President in 2024.

Signs

The most recent poll, by Quinnipiac, shows that following the midterm elections in November, Trump’s support is either waning or falling.

Donald Trump has recently come under criticism from his fellow Republicans due to the failure of many of the candidates he personally supported in well-known elections.

As a result, the Democrats strengthened their Senate majority during a season many expected to be favorable to the GOP.

A rising power

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been gaining support as Donald Trump’s standing is eroding.

DeSantis is a rising star in the Republican Party.

He won reelection with ease in November and built a sizable lead over Trump in the early 2024 Republican primary polls.

DeSantis held a double-digit lead over Trump among likely GOP primary voters in a Wall Street Journal poll published on Wednesday (52% to 38%).

The margin of error for the result was six percentage points, plus or minus.

DeSantis didn’t officially announce his candidacy for President, but the polls showed the outcome.

He chose to accept a second four-year term as governor.

The Florida governor was not mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in the Quinnipiac poll, either.

When questioned, a source with ties to Trump cited a recent Morning Consult poll showing Trump as the undisputed front-runner.

He received 49% of the support of potential GOP primary voters, compared to 31% for DeSantis.

Trump

So far, only Donald Trump has officially announced his bid for President in 2024.

Unfortunately, he still needs to put more effort into his campaign.

Instead, scandals and setbacks have damaged his presidential campaign.

For example, Trump posted on social media that the Constitution should be abolished to restore power.

He would later apologize for his comments.

Ye, a rapper who fell out of favor after making antisemitic remarks and identifying as a white supremacist, and Trump also had dinner together.

The former President’s first choice for the Georgia Senate, Herschel Walker, was defeated by Senator Raphael Warnock in a runoff vote in December.

In the end, two Trump Organization companies were found guilty of crimes.

This week, a New York jury found Trump’s businesses accountable for a number of infractions, including:

Tax fraud
Falsifying business records
Conspiracy

Trump was found guilty of 17 charges three weeks after announcing his bid for the presidency in 2024.

Trump said he would appeal the decision because he was unhappy with it.

“It is a continuation of the Greatest Political Witch Hunt in the History of our Country,” he wrote in a statement.

“New York City is a hard place to be ‘Trump.'”

Other notes

On Wednesday, Donal Trump hinted on social media that he would make a significant announcement on Thursday.

The article includes a video of Trump saying, “America needs a superhero.”

The movie also included a brief animation of a cartoon Trump shooting lasers out of his eyes in front of Trump Tower.

References:

Trump hits 7-year low in new national poll as Biden approval climbs

Trump Organization convicted in New York criminal tax fraud case

Alex Jones remains unwelcome on Twitter

Edward Anderson on November 28, 2022

…

Alex Jones is one of the banned names on the popular social media platform Twitter for constantly spewing lies.

While new owner Elon Musk lifted the ban on many suspended users, Jones remains on Twitter’s blacklist.

Musk

Last week, Elon Musk said that Alex Jones would not return to Twitter despite some users requesting his return.

Twitter’s new owner this weekend defended his attempt to reinstate several suspended accounts, one of which is former US President Donald Trump.

When a user asked about Jones returning, Musk said, “No.”

Since he lied about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Alex Jones has been in trouble for saying the tragedy was a hoax.

As a result, he must pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to the victims’ families.

The Twitter owner explained on Sunday, citing the Bible and his personal experience with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

“My firstborn child died in my arms. I felt his heartbeat,” Musk tweeted.

“I have no mercy for anyone who would use the deaths of children for gain, politics or fame.”

The response

The news of Alex Jones’ continued ban has caused a wave of reactions.

Some Twitter users praised Musk’s decision, while Jones’ staunch supporters denounced the Twitter owner for his inconsistent support of free speech principles.

Meanwhile, Alex Jones said he is okay with not returning to Twitter and listed other platforms he could use instead.

“Don’t blame Musk at the end of the day because he didn’t bring me back,” Jones told his supporters.

“I’m the most controversial figure in the world because I’m the most threatening to the new world order. So don’t expect him to bring me back on day one.”

Musk’s decisions

Twitter’s new owner’s decision regarding Jones was announced abruptly, leaving no room for debate.

However, this contradicted his actions toward Trump.

Musk’s decision was based on an unscientific poll on the platform; the results, he said, are the people’s will.

He also suggested that anti-Trump bots manipulated the poll during the voting period.

Additionally, his stance on Alex Jones strays from his pledge to wait to make any major decisions or restore accounts until a new Content Moderation Council is in place.

Elon Musk told a Twitter Spaces event that it could be months before the council meets for the first time.

Additionally, Musk’s new approach has raised questions about the rubric he will use to determine the future of a suspended account.

Users say it will be a decision matrix based on Musk’s personal beliefs rather than objective free speech principles or clear terms of service.

Reference:

Twitter won’t restore Alex Jones’ account, Elon Musk says

Campaign rally

The location

Investigations

The hush money & documents

Ron DeSantis & other leaders

The recent withdrawal

Continued fight

Charges

Charges

Daniels and Trump

Supporter backlash

Hearing and determination

A surprising rally

Improved prospects

Divided sentiments

The 2020 elections

The bigger picture

A new hope

Investigations

The decision

Getting the news

The campaign and witch hunt

GOP comes to Trump’s defense

The news

The pickup

The boxes

Biden and Trump

VP residence and White House boxes

Effect on Biden situation

The sentence

Trump Organization

Weisselberg

Prosecutors

Attorney & judge

Legal woes

Other investigations

The future of TikTok

Criticism

Negotiations

The community

Popularity

Other notes

The poll

Biden

Signs

A rising power

Trump

Other notes

Musk

The response

Musk’s decisions

© 2023 The Chicago Journal. All Rights Reserved

© 2023 The Chicago Journal.
All Rights Reserved