Trump news – live: Violent threats surge as Trump team readies for Stormy Daniels hush money indictment
Donald Trump could be indicted as soon as Wednesday as Manhattan prosecutors investigating hush money payments to Stormy Daniels conclude their probe.
In anticipation of their decision, there has been a surge in online threats directed at government targets and political officials, with plans for what one commenter called January 6 times ten, with guns.
While there have been lacklustre turnouts at rallies in support of the embattled former president — with one in New York so sparsely attended that it was estimated the ratio of journalists to protesters was five to one — the Trump 2024 campaign is using the moment to fundraise.
On his own social media platform, Mr Trump posted a scathing, late-night video on Monday attacking the four ongoing criminal investigations into his actions. He took aim at what he calls the “most disgusting witchhunt in the history of our country” telling his followers that he will “stand in their way” of their political “enemies”.
Mr Trump’s troubles don’t end in New York. The special counsel’s office in Washington reportedly has evidence the former president misled his own attorneys about the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, potential eliminating Mr Trump’s attorney-client privilege defences.
Key Points
Trump posts late-night Truth Social video attacking four criminal probes
Another witness to testify in Manhattan grand jury Wednesday
Robert Costello testifies against Michael Cohen
Law enforcement planning security for possible Trump indictment
Pro-Trump rally in New York ‘outnumbered five to one by journalists’
Surge in online threats as police prepare for possible Trump indictment
Murdoch and son could testify as judge weighs trial for Fox News v Dominion
06:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Attorneys for Dominion Voting Systems told a judge in Delaware that Fox News personalities and executives knew that baseless allegations of vote manipulation in the 2020 presidential election were false but continued to air those claims and host the people who made them.
Both parties are seeking summary judgment, each asking the judge to declare them the winner without having to proceed toward a jury trial as scheduled next month.
The company has sued Fox for $1.6bn in a defamation lawsuit alleging that the network, risking losing its viewership and impacting its business, knowingly presented false claims that energised competing networks that were faithful to conspiracy theories elevated by former president Donald Trump and his allies.
Alex Woodward reports.
Fox News and Dominion face off in court as judge decides whether case goes to trial
Unpacking the Stormy Daniels story
05:45 , Oliver O'Connell
John Bowden writes:
Former President Donald Trump has been out of office for two years, and is already itching to go back.
But one figure from his first run for president has refused to go away, and may end up being a major headache for him as he pursues a third White House bid.
We’re talking, of course, about adult film star Stormy Daniels, also known by her real name, Stephanie Clifford. Ms Daniels made headlines in 2018 when she came forward with an allegation that she had been in a romantic extramarital relationship with the president in 2006, and had been threatened and later bribed to keep her mouth shut.
Read more:
Inside the Stormy Daniels hush money payment that could lead to first Trump charges
DeSantis doubles attacks on ‘dramatic and chaotic’ Trump
05:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Ron DeSantis has doubled down on his attacks on Donald Trump ahead of the former president’s predicted indictment and their likely 2024 clash for the Republican presidential nomination.
The Florida governor told Piers Morgan in an interview that he was not phased by Mr Trump’s mocking and branding of him as “Ron DeSanctimonious” in recent attacks.
“I don’t know how to spell the sanctimonious one. I don’t really know what it means, but I kinda like it, it’s long, it’s got a lot of vowels. We’ll go with that, that’s fine,” he told Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Earlier in Panama City, Florida, Mr DeSantis said: “I don’t know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair.”
“I just, I can’t speak to that.”
Graeme Massie reports.
Ron DeSantis doubles down Trump attacks ahead of indictment
Don Jr unloads on DeSantis after he failed to back his father
04:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Former president Donald Trump Jr’s son Donald Trump Jr blasted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for not defending his father enough as the former president faces indictment and potential extradition from the state.
The younger Mr Trump laid into the Florida governor, who is seen as a potential challenger to his father, for offering a weak defence if he would take any action if the former president is indicted.
Eric Garcia reports.
Donald Trump Jr unloads on Ron DeSantis after he failed to back his father
Mugshot, fingerprints, handcuffs? What is the process for indicting Trump
04:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The looming criminal indictment now widely expected to be coming down on Donald Trump’s shoulders has left many, including seasoned legal experts who have followed the justice system for years wondering exactly what to expect when it actually happens.
Sources close to the investigation told Politico on Monday that an indictment could be coming as soon as later that day; a possibility that led to law enforcement officials erecting barricades outside of the Manhattan courthouse where Mr Trump’s arraignment would occur.
The former president will probably not be arrested unless he were to fight his indictment and refuse to attend his arraignment.
He would be almost certainly not handcuffed as the crime(s) for which he could be indicted are not considered violent offenses.
John Bowden has more.
Mugshot, fingerprints, handcuffs? The process for indicting Trump
Trump lawyer blasted hush money payments as possibly ‘illegal’ and ‘fraud’ in 2018
03:45 , Oliver O'Connell
When reached by The Independent for comment, Mr Tacopina emphasised that twice during his 2018 appearance on CNN, he said, “if that is in fact the case”.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Trump lawyer blasted hush money payments as possibly ‘illegal’ and ‘fraud’ in 2018
ICYMI: Late night hosts pour scorn on Trump amid arrest claims
02:45 , Oliver O'Connell
“You’ve got to give it to him. It’s not often that someone sends out a save-the-date for their own arrest.”
Late-night hosts pour scorn on Trump amid arrest claims
How did a porn star become one of the most powerful people in politics?
01:45 , Oliver O'Connell
Stormy Daniels is again at the centre of a national firestorm as New York state prosecutors are reportedly preparing to bring charges against Mr Trump, which would be the first criminal prosecution against a former president in US history.
Io Dodds explains how Daniels ended up as such a crucial figure in contemporary US politics.
How porn star Stormy Daniels became one of the most powerful people in politics
Tucker Carlson team put pictures of Nancy Pelosi in a bathing suit around the office, former producer says
01:15 , Josh Marcus
A former Fox News producer has claimed in a lawsuit that members of the staff of Tucker Carlson’s show put images of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a bathing suit up throughout their office to mock her for her appearance.
Abby Grossberg, the former producer, filed a discrimination suit against Fox News, Carlson, and several other executives and producers in a Manhattan court on Monday.
Ms Grossberg, who started working at Tucker Carlson Tonight in September 2022, said she was stunned upon starting her job “to be greeted by many large and blown-up photographs of Nancy Pelosi in a plunging bathing suit revealing her cleavage”.
Abe Asher reports.
Tucker Carlson team put up pictures of Nancy Pelosi in a bathing suit, suit alleges
If he’s arrested and indicted, can Trump still be president?
00:45 , Oliver O'Connell
What happens to the 2024 race, and Donald Trump’s ability to participate in it, if he comes under criminal indictment?
John Bowden reports.
Can Donald Trump still be elected president if he’s arrested and indicted?
Tucker Carlson ‘enraged’ after Trump texts leak and claims to ‘love’ ex-president
00:23 , Josh Marcus
Despite leaked text messages that show Tucker Carlson describing how he “passionately” hates Donald Trump, the Fox News host is claiming it’s quite the opposite.
“Oh, let’s see. I spent four years defending his policies and I, I’m going to defend them again tonight,” Mr Carlson told WABC radio. “And actually, and I’m pretty straight forward, I’m um I love Trump. Like, as a person, I think Trump is funny and insightful.”
Mr Trump has also insisted the two have a good relationship.
“He doesn’t hate me, or at least, not anymore!” Mr Trump claimed earlier this month.
‘He doesn’t hate me’: Trump says Tucker Carlson is still a fan despite legal filings
Mr Carlson said he “passionately” hated Donald Trump and fantasised in 2021 about the day he would no longer have to cover his fellow conservative, according to new messages released as part of a defamation lawsuit against Fox News.
Tucker Carlson said he ‘passionately’ hated Trump, new Fox News lawsuit filings show
“We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights,” Carlson told an unknown Fox News employee just two days before the January 6 Capitol riot, according to the court documents. “I truly can’t wait.”
“I hate him passionately,” he added.
What is the process for indicting Donald Trump on criminal charges?
Tuesday 21 March 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell
The looming criminal indictment now widely expected to be coming down on Donald Trump’s shoulders has left many, including seasoned legal experts and journalists who have followed the justice system for years wondering exactly what to expect when it actually happens.
John Bowden looks at how things would likely play out.
Mugshot, fingerprints, handcuffs? The process for indicting Trump
Did Donald Trump mislead his own lawyers over Mar-a-Lago documents?
Tuesday 21 March 2023 23:27 , Josh Marcus
Donald Trump knowingly misled his own attorneys about his handling of classified documents after leaving office, according to the contents of a sealed filing in the special counsel investigation of the former president, ABC News reports.
The federal special counsel investigating Mr Trump presented a Washington court with evidence that the former president committed “criminal violations” and deliberately misled his lawyers, former DC district court chief judge Beryl Howell wrote in a Friday filing, a source told the broadcaster. (Judge Howell stepped down the same day as the reported filing.)
As a result of the alleged misconduct on Mr Trump’s part, Judge Howell ordered Trump attorney Evan Corcoran to comply with a grand jury subpoena and offer records and testimony in the investigation, which he had previously avoided by claiming attorney-client privilege.
Attorney-client privilege doesn’t apply to conversations relating to carrying out or concealing a crime.
More details in our full story here.
Judge considers whether Fox News v Dominion case goes to trial
Tuesday 21 March 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Attorneys for Dominion Voting Systems told a judge in Delaware that Fox News personalities and executives knew that baseless allegations of vote manipulation in the 2020 presidential election were false but continued to air those claims and host the people who made them.
Both parties are seeking summary judgment, each asking the judge to declare them the winner without having to proceed toward a jury trial as scheduled next month.
Alex Woodward has the latest.
Fox News and Dominion face off in court as judge decides whether case goes to trial
Rand Paul condemns perceived abuse of power by advocating real abuse of power
Tuesday 21 March 2023 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Imagine if the first sentence of your tweet met the second sentence of your tweet. https://t.co/N2QVq8VeMR
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) March 21, 2023
After tech issues derail interview, Trump jokes ‘radical left’ to blame
Tuesday 21 March 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump’s interview with radio host Jackson Lahmeyer as part of a gathering of pastors hoping to pray for the president’s success in his ongoing criminal investigations was derailed on Monday by persistent audio issues which left the ex-president joking about sabotage from his political enemies.
John Bowden has the story.
Trump jokingly blames ‘radical left’ after tech issues derail interview
ICYMI: Robert Costello claims he destroyed Michael Cohen’s credibility before grand jury
Tuesday 21 March 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump ally Robert Costello has claimed that he sought to destroy Michael Cohen’s credibility as he testified before the Manhattan grand jury investigating the former president’s role in hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Mr Costello – a one-time ally turned critic of Mr Trump’s former “fixer” Cohen – gave testimony before the grand jury on Monday as a possible indictment draws ever nearer for the former president.
Rachel Sharp has the details.
Trump ally claims he destroyed Michael Cohen’s credibility before grand jury
Trump accuses DeSantis of... changing the pronunciation of his own name?
Tuesday 21 March 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Former President Donald Trump shared a video on Truth Social showing his top 2024 rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis seeming to change the pronunciation of his name over time.
Mr Trump shared a post from Twitter user Johnny Maga, who asked on 16 March: “Who changes the pronunciation of their own last name in their 40s? Is there anything genuine about this guy?”
Gustaf Kilander has the story.
DeSantis accused of changing pronunciation of his own name
‘You can call me whatever you want’: DeSantis doubles down Trump attacks before indictment
Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:36 , Oliver O'Connell
Ron DeSantis has doubled down on his attacks on Donald Trump ahead of the former president’s predicted indictment and their likely 2024 clash for the Republican presidential nomination.
The Florida governor told Piers Morgan in an interview that he was not phased by Mr Trump’s mocking and branding of him as “Ron DeSanctimonious” in recent attacks.
“I don’t know how to spell the sanctimonious one. I don’t really know what it means, but I kinda like it, it’s long, it’s got a lot of vowels. We’ll go with that, that’s fine,” he told Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Graeme Massie reports on this developing story.
Ron DeSantis doubles down Trump attacks ahead of indictment
Trump rants there is ‘no nothing’ there other than Cohen’s lies
Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell
In a late afternoon Truth Social screed by the former president, Donald Trump writes:
Reports, and almost everybody, says, even after in-depth legal study and review, that there was NO CRIME, NO AFFAIR, NO BOOKKEEPING ERROR OR MISDEMEANOR, NO “NOTHING,” OTHER THAN NOW PROVEN LIES BY MICHAEL COHEN, A CONVICTED FELON AND PERJURER, AND THE STRONG LIKELIHOOD OF AN EXTORTION PLOT AGAINST ME. So, after getting CRUSHED yesterday by Cohen’s highly respected attorney, with the case against me FULLY DISPROVEN, why is the D.A. searching for yet another “witness?” TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME!
Unexpectedly, he then praises former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, with whom he has had a checkered relationship, for purportedly schooling Donna Brazile on DA Alvin Bragg’s “hypocrisy” on crime.
Surge in online threats as police prepare for possible Trump indictment
Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:20 , Oliver O'Connell
Violent threats and rhetoric have exploded online ahead of Donald Trump’s potential indictment in a New York hush money investigation, according to intelligence officials.
According to intelligence reports from the US Capitol Police in Washington, the federal DC Fusion Center and the Federal Highway Administration obtained by Rolling Stone, officials have been monitoring worrying online chatter, including one anonymous user who said the former president’s arrest would result in “Jan 6*10 + Guns.”
Josh Marcus has the details.
Online threats surge as law enforcement prepares for potential Trump indictment
Swing voters won’t give Trump ‘thumbs up’ over hush money scandal, says Democrat rep
Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:12 , Oliver O'Connell
Democrat Rep Jeff Jackson of North Carolina weighed in on the political implications of a Trump indictment during an appearance on Fox News.
“I don’t think there’s any universe in which [swing voters] see this underlying behavior, with respect to the affair, and the hush money, and potentially criminal conviction, and give a thumbs up,” the red-state Democrat said.
Rep. Jeff Jackson (D-NC) on the political implications if Trump is arrested:
“I don’t think there’s any universe in which [swing voters] see this underlying behavior, with respect to the affair, and the hush money, and potentially criminal conviction, and give a thumbs up.” pic.twitter.com/70g9cDg1C0— The Recount (@therecount) March 21, 2023
As clashes with Trump get nasty, DeSantis polling drops
Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:05 , Oliver O'Connell
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ support in a potential Republican presidential primary has dropped to its lowest yet as he faces a torrent of criticism from establishment Republicans for his remarks on Ukraine and attacks from Donald Trump, according to a new poll.
Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC.
DeSantis drops to lowest support in GOP polls after mocking Trump over indictment
Democrats ‘love this dog and pony show we are putting on'
Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:57 , Oliver O'Connell
Rightwing commentator Tomi Lahren has decried Republican infighting centred around Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, which this week has taken on a nastier tone.
“So the corrupt Manhattan DA goes after Donald Trump and y’all point the cannons at Ron DeSantis?!” she wrote on Twitter.
“The Democrats are cracking up. They love this dog and pony show we are putting on.”
So the corrupt Manhattan DA goes after Donald Trump and y’all point the cannons at Ron DeSantis?!
The Democrats are cracking up. They love this dog and pony show we are putting on.— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) March 21, 2023
Giuliani mocked over bizarre Cameo nursery thyme clip
Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell
Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City Mayor and ex-personal lawyer to former President Donald Trump, is facing mockery after appearing in a video on the site Cameo reciting the nursery rhyme I’m A Little Teapot.
Mr Giuliani has been on the video greeting site since August 2021, where users can pay him $325 for a personal message tailored to their requests.
Gustaf Kilander reports on another bizarre moment from the man once referred to as “America’s mayor”.
Rudy Giuliani mocked over bizarre Cameo clip recounting nursery rhyme
Tuberville: Trump indictment will look like ‘political assassination'
Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Tommy Tuberville on a potential Trump indictment says “if they're gonna do it they could have done it a lot better than this.” Says “it's gonna it's gonna look to the average person out there of political assassination, or whatever you call it.”
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) March 21, 2023
Four-year sentence for Capitol rioter who attacked police
Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell
A Virginia man who assaulted police with a stolen baton and used a flashing strobe light to disorient officers trying to defend the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 was sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in prison.
Geoffrey Sills of Mechanicsville, Virginia, was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon, obstruction of Congress and robbery for his role in the violence at the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace tunnel, where police were beaten and crushed as as they tried to beat back the angry mob of President Donald Trump supporters.
The 31-year-old has already served a year and a half behind bars since his June 2021 arrest.
Read more:
Man gets 4 years for attacking police at Jan. 6 Capitol riot
Trump’s niece mocks uncle for wanting protests
Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:10 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald called for protests--here you go.
👇pic.twitter.com/9ZIRVKvmZX— Mary L Trump (@MaryLTrump) March 21, 2023
How Trump is fundraising over his own ‘arrest’ prediction
Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell
Former president Donald Trump fuelled a media firestorm with his all-caps prediction of his own arrest, a claim apparently based on reports of a looming indictment from a criminal investigation in New York. His own team followed up to clarify that he did not receive any indications from prosecutors that he had yet been charged or would be imminently arrested.
Alex Woodward explains how this was then parlayed into a moneyspinner for his 2024 campaign.
How Donald Trump is fundraising over his own ‘arrest’ prediction
Trump’s payoff to a porn actress is ‘ordinary in America’, says Tucker Carlson
Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:40 , Oliver O'Connell
Fox News’s resident Trump cheerleader Tucker Carlson was back at it again on Monday in defence of the former president, this time as Donald Trump faces a looming criminal indictment.
In a segment on Monday evening the primetime host spun a narrative about the hush payment Mr Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen made to porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2016, days before the presidential election, which would go on to be classified as an illegal campaign contribution and land Mr Cohen in prison.
John Bowden unpacks what he said.
Tucker Carlson says Trump’s payoff to a porn actress is ‘ordinary in America’
Judge rejects Trump attempts to delay NY AG civil suit against family and company
Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell
A judge has declined to move the trial date for a $250m civil lawsuit filed against former President Donald Trump, his eldest children, and his company the Trump Organization, ABC News reports.
The suit was brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James against the family and company alleging that they altered the value of their real estate portfolio to dupe banks and insurers.
Judge Arthur Engoron said there was no need to postpone what he called a "seemingly simple case" of whether Trump's disclosures to his lenders and insurers, known as statements of financial condition, were accurate or not.
“The issue is whether the statements were false,” Engoron said. “This case is complex, but it is not complicated.”
The trial is still scheduled to start on 2 October.
The Trumps have denied wrongdoing and the former president has said the lawsuit as politically motivated by the New York attorney general.
Ivanka Trump has separately filed for a delay as a defence arguing that she wasn’t responsible for fraudulent financial statements issued by the company will take more time to prepare.
Ivanka Trump throws brothers and father under bus in New York fraud suit
Ted Cruz jumps on the indictment fundraising bandwagon
Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:25 , Oliver O'Connell
Ted Cruz now fundraising off Trump’s indictment. pic.twitter.com/tp8Yl82bvm
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) March 21, 2023
Former Melania adviser calls ‘BS’ on report she left Trump over Stormy Daniels revelations
Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:20 , Oliver O'Connell
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, the former adviser to Melania Trump in the early days of her time as first lady, has called out reporting that the revelations about Stormy Daniels in early 2018 caused a split between the Trumps.
Melania Trump didn’t leave president over Stormy Daniels affair ex-aide says
Schumer says to comment on Trump indictment ‘premature'
Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:12 , Oliver O'Connell
SCHUMER on if he’s concerned by Trump’s calls for protests if he’s indicted: “I'm not commenting on this until we see what actually happens. It's premature.”
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) March 21, 2023
Trump lawyer once blasted hush money payments as possibly ‘illegal’ and ‘fraud’
Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell
The lawyer representing former President Donald Trump in the hush money payments probe appeared on CNN in 2018 and seemed to criticise the payments as potentially “illegal” and a “fraud”.
Joe Tacopina is representing Mr Trump, making a number of recent media appearances defending him in relation to the investigation by the Manhattan DA.
Gustaf Kilander reports:
Trump lawyer blasted hush money payments as possibly ‘illegal’ and ‘fraud’ in 2018
Tucker Carlson producer alleges culture of misogyny at Fox News
Tuesday 21 March 2023 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell
The day before a key hearing in the network’s legal battle with a voting machine company suing Fox News for defamation, a pair of lawsuits from a female producer at the network allege that Fox fosters a “toxic workplace” where “truth remains a fugitive,” depicting an environment where women are routinely verbally violated “by a poisonous and entrenched patriarchy.”
A federal lawsuit filed on 20 March from a producer for Tucker Carlson Tonight describes a workplace that “subjugates women based on vile sexist stereotypes, typecasts religious minorities and belittles their traditions, and demonstrates little to no regard for those suffering from mental illness.”
Alex Woodward reports.
Lawsuits from Tucker Carlson producer depict culture of ‘systemic chauvinism’ at Fox
Tuesday 21 March 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Former White House staffer and host of ‘The View’ worries about implications of Trump indictment
Tuesday 21 March 2023 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell
Alyssa Farah Griffin, a current host of The View on ABC and one-time White House staffer in the Trump administration, worries about the possible implications of not having a rock-solid case against her former boss.
Ms Farah, who became a determined anti-Trumper after the January 6th Capitol riot, posted on Twitter: “I want to see Trump held accountable. But I worry that an indictment over a 7 yr old crime, that may only be a misdemeanor, will be widely perceived as political, & will undermine the much more serious cases (DOJ & Fulton county) he’s facing.”
She added: “The law is the law and no one is above it. But taking the unprecedented step to indict a former president should be done only if the case is rock-solid. Otherwise it risks undermining other critical investigations that should preclude him from ever holding office again.”
The law is the law and no one is above it. But taking the unprecedented step to indict a former president should be done only if the case is rock-solid. Otherwise it risks undermining other critical investigations that should preclude him from ever holding office again.
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) March 21, 2023
Don Jr unloads on DeSantis after he failed to back his father
Tuesday 21 March 2023 17:55 , Oliver O'Connell
Former president Donald Trump Jr’s son Donald Trump Jr blasted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for not defending his father enough as the former president faces indictment and potential extradition from the state.
“That’s what it is guys, by the billionaire donors, 100 per cent controlled opposition,” Mr Trump said on his show Triggered with Don Jr.
Eric Garcia reports.
Donald Trump Jr unloads on Ron DeSantis after he failed to back his father
Tuesday 21 March 2023 17:42 , Oliver O'Connell
Meanwhile, on Truth Social…
Tuesday 21 March 2023 17:35 , Oliver O'Connell
Former president Donald Trump began his day by blasting out a couple of Truth Social posts about his one-time righthand man, Michael Cohen.
In the history of our Country there cannot have been a more damaged or less credible witness at trial than fully disbarred lawyer and felon, Michael Cohen. The Southern District of New York (SDNY) wrote a scathing assessment of him, including, “Michael Cohen is a lawyer who, rather than setting an example of respect for the law, instead chose to break the law, repeatedly over many years & in a variety of ways…Each of his crimes involved deception,” & deception & lying is what he is doing here!
Followed by:
Remember, Michael Cohen was a lawyer who also represented clients other than me, and who did business transactions for himself, like Taxi Cab Medallions, etc. I had nothing to do with his outside businesses. On three separate occasions, Cohen asked me to grant him a Presidential Pardon on events having to do with these outside interests. I said, correctly, “NO.” Sometime after that he became a Fake Storyteller, and began to lie about events!
By lunchtime he had turned his attention to New York Attorney General Letitia James, posting:
Page 1: While Congress is at it, they should look at the Corrupt Attorney General of New York State, Letitia James, who got elected solely on a “I WILL GET TRUMP” platform, without knowing anything about me. She then brought a completely bogus lawsuit, which is presided over by an A.G. picked, Trump hating Judge, a political hack whose Court this case should not be in - It shoud be in the Commercial Division, but he wouldn’t let go, is pushing it hard, and knows exactly what he wants to do….
Yes, he’s labeling his posts with page numbers again.
Page 2: The Chief Judge of New York State should remove this ridiculous case to the Commercial Division, where it belongs. Legal professionals are asking why this hasn’t happened long ago? It is DISGRACEFUL!
Disgraceful.
‘Anything exciting going on today?’ wonders well-known adult film star
Tuesday 21 March 2023 17:19 , Oliver O'Connell
A little bit of Stormy Daniels snark on Twitter today.
Wow! It's a beautiful morning. It's always been my dream to sip coffee on my farm porch and watch my gorgeous horse graze. Anything exciting going on today?
— Stormy Daniels (@StormyDaniels) March 21, 2023
Manhattan civil courthouse shut down by bomb threat
Tuesday 21 March 2023 17:05 , Oliver O'Connell
Manhattan’s civil courthouse was briefly shut down by a bomb threat on Tuesday as prosecutors next door continue their work on the investigation into Donald Trump’s hush payment to Stormy Daniels.
The threat, called into the local 911 dispatchers, did not mention the former president by name, nor did it specifically target the criminal courthouse out of which District Attorney Alvin Bragg has his office — located just across Centre Street in downtown Manhattan.
John Bowden has the latest.
Manhattan civil courthouse shut down by bomb threat as Trump indictment looms
Ex-MI6 spy who wrote Trump dossier records vulgar message for him
Tuesday 21 March 2023 16:55 , Oliver O'Connell
Christopher Steele, the former head of the MI6 Russia desk who authored a controversial opposition research report on Donald Trump ahead of the 2016 election, has offered a pointed message to the disgraced former US president ahead of his possible indictment by a New York City grand jury.
Andrew Feinberg has the details.
Ex-MI6 spy Christopher Steeler records vulgar message for Donald Trump
Trump campaign continues to fundraise off preparations for possible violence
Tuesday 21 March 2023 16:45 , Oliver O'Connell
INBOX: Donald Trump’s campaign is fundraising off New York City’s preparations for possible violence by his supporters. pic.twitter.com/X7U3IagytN
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) March 21, 2023
Trump launches petition and asks for donations over arrest rumours
Tuesday 21 March 2023 16:35 , Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump launched a plea for donations on Monday which condemned the criminal investigations closing in on him as a means of intimidating Republican voters.
The email urged supporters to sign a petition, which was really just a link to the former president’s fundraising page. A message appears stating that the recipient’s name has been added to the petition, though the document does not appear elsewhere on the website and there does not appear to be any way to view the signatures.
The fundraising page, meanwhile, suggests donations as high as $3,000 to help the twice-impeached and likely soon-to-be-criminally charged former president retake the White House in 2024.
John Bowden has the story.
Trump fundraises off arrest rumours and launches ‘petition’ over charges
