In response to a motion from Special Counsel Jack Smith requesting a gag order, former President Trump’s attorneys have accused the government of “unconstitutional censorship.” Smith’s motion seeks to prohibit Trump from making statements that pose a danger to law enforcement agents involved in the classified documents investigation. Trump’s legal team argues that the request is an attempt to silence Trump’s political speech and violates his First Amendment rights.
Ahead of Hunter Biden’s upcoming trials on gun charges, lying, and tax charges, White House aides express President Biden’s daily worry for his son. The gun crime trial, set to begin on June 3, could result in jail time if Biden is convicted. Despite attempts to delay the Delaware gun trial on Tuesday, the judge ordered proceedings to move forward. The younger Biden also faces a June 20 trial in Los Angeles for tax charges. Meanwhile, former President Trump is facing four criminal indictments, with the first trial ongoing in Manhattan.
Co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case against former President Trump have filed appeals to the state’s Court of Appeals, seeking to have Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis disqualified from the prosecution. The appeals court previously agreed to hear the case, which alleges that Willis had an inappropriate relationship with special counsel Nathan Wade and may have benefited financially from it. The defendants argue that this creates an appearance of impropriety and conflicts with Willis’s ability to impartially prosecute the case.
Columbia University has locked down its Morningside campus after anti-Israel protesters forcibly occupied an academic building and barricaded its doors. The demonstrations have sparked widespread concern and condemnation, with former President Trump calling them a ‘mutiny’ and ‘insurrection.’ The university has demanded the protesters leave the building and is working to restore safety and order on campus.
Legal experts are analyzing the complexities of Trump’s hush money trial, highlighting the limitations faced by the former president’s legal team. According to former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman, Trump’s lawyers are restricted from criticizing him, hindering their ability to present a defense that portrays him in a negative light. The trial stems from allegations that Trump, along with his former lawyer Michael Cohen and former publisher David Pecker, engaged in a scheme to suppress negative stories about Trump during the 2016 election campaign. Prosecutors argue that the trio aimed to influence the election’s outcome by concealing potentially damaging information. Litman suggests that the defense’s inability to acknowledge any wrongdoing, including the alleged affair with Daniels, could ultimately weaken its case. Former prosecutor Karen Agnifilo emphasizes the significance of Pecker’s testimony, which she describes as “extremely damaging” for Trump. She commends the prosecution’s strategy of presenting credible witnesses who lack personal stakes or biases against Trump.
According to a recent Siena College poll, the majority of New York voters (54%) believe the ongoing trial against former President Trump is legitimate. The poll also revealed that Trump remains more popular among New York independents than both President Biden and Governor Kathy Hochul. Despite the majority viewing the trial as justified, 66% of Republican respondents see it as a “witch hunt.”
The trial of former President Donald Trump on charges of falsifying business records began Monday, with prosecutors arguing that he conspired to influence the 2016 election by concealing a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump’s defense team countered that there was nothing wrong with attempting to influence an election and that the payments were legitimate legal fees. The prosecution’s case hinges on proving that Trump was motivated by a desire to conceal an alleged sexual encounter with Daniels, while the defense will seek to discredit Daniels and minimize the significance of the payment.
The historic criminal trial against former President Trump begins this week, marking the first time a former president faces such charges. The jury selection process concluded last week, with 12 jurors and six alternates being sworn in.
