Lexicus
Deity
Again, this has nothing to do with actually-existing originalism as a philosophy motivating the actions of actual jurists, as opposed to whatever holistic idea of originalism is contained in your mind.
Trump Indicted!
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Again, this has nothing to do with actually-existing originalism as a philosophy motivating the actions of actual jurists, as opposed to whatever holistic idea of originalism is contained in your mind.
Lexicus
Deity
I'm talking about, like, Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito. Are they <slur>s?
Trump’s public statements led to harassment of witnesses, federal prosecutors say
By Katelyn Polantz, Senior Reporter, Crime and JusticeFormer President Donald Trump’s public statements about the federal election interference investigation led to the harassment of witnesses, according to prosecutors with special counsel Jack Smith’s office. Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the federal case against Trump related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, is weighing what to do with the special counsel prosecutors’ complaints regarding the alleged harassment. The allegations were made public by the court Friday, after previous court filings indicated prosecutors were taking issue with Trump’s “extrajudicial statements” about the case.
“In its Motion, the government seeks to establish that Defendant has publicly criticized his perceived adversaries and is aware that this criticism has led to their harassment,” Chutkan wrote in an opinion Friday to unseal part of the discussions.
Chutkan also indicated that prosecutors fear Trump will continue to lob personal attacks at possible witnesses. “The history of harassment and threats towards the individuals whose information has been redacted demonstrates the real likelihood that they could suffer further intimidation upon disclosure of their identities,” Chutkan said in the Friday opinion.
What prosecutors are asking the court to do about the situation is not yet public. Chutkan also wrote that the names of the witnesses who have experienced harassment, and what happened to them as described in their interview transcripts, can remain confidential.
Gori the Grey
The Poster
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Put. Him. In. Jail. Pending. Trial.
From the company currently formerly known as Twitter:
Twitter gave at least 32 of Trump’s private messages to special counsel
Newly unsealed court filings show company turned over messages after receiving search warrant in election subversion caseSpoiler :
Apparently Trump used classified documents to make To Do lists for his assistants. He would write the lists on the docs and give them to his assistant. She is chatting with Jack Smith.
NYT
By Maggie Haberman and Alan Feuer
Sept. 19, 2023Updated 6:05 p.m. ET
A former assistant to Donald J. Trump has informed investigators that the former president told her to say she did not know anything about the boxes containing classified documents that he had stashed at his private club in Florida after leaving the White House, according to a person briefed on her comments. The assistant, Molly Michael, who worked for Mr. Trump in the area outside the Oval Office and then in his post-presidential office, told the investigators about Mr. Trump’s comments when she was interviewed as part of the inquiry into his handling of sensitive government documents.
“You don’t know anything about the boxes,” Mr. Trump told Ms. Michael when he learned that federal officials wanted to talk to her in the case. Her account was first reported by ABC News and was confirmed by the person briefed on her comments.
Ms. Michael also told investigators that Mr. Trump would write notes to himself on documents that he gave her listing tasks he wanted done. She later realized that in some cases the documents had classified markings, the person briefed on her comments said. The specific nature of the documents in question remained unclear, the person said. “These illegal leaks are coming from sources which totally lack proper context and relevant information,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Mr. Trump. “The Department of Justice should investigate the criminal leaking, instead of perpetrating their baseless witch hunts.” Ms. Michael could not be reached for comment.
The revelations about Ms. Michael’s discussions with investigators were the latest to show the scale and nature of the evidence gathered by federal prosecutors working on the classified documents case. Mr. Trump stands accused of illegally holding on to dozens of highly sensitive national security records after leaving office and of conspiring with two aides at Mar-a-Lago, his club and residence in Florida, to obstruct the government’s repeated attempts to get them back. Ms. Michael is one of at least two witnesses who could be called to testify at Mr. Trump’s trial in the documents case and present the jury with evidence that the former president sought in some way to obstruct the government’s investigation. In July, another potential witness in the case, Yuscil Taveras, one of Mr. Trump’s information technology workers, reached a cooperation deal with the government and told investigators that the property manager at Mar-a-Lago asked him, at Mr. Trump’s request, to delete from a computer server security footage that the government was seeking as part of its inquiry.
Ms. Michael’s account about Mr. Trump writing notes on classified material did not appear to be directly related to any of the specific charges he is facing in the case. But the information could be used at trial to portray the former president as treating sensitive government documents recklessly or carelessly.
Her remarks could also be used to reinforce that Mr. Trump was trying to keep people from sharing information about the boxes with investigators.
Trump Is Said to Have Told Aide Not to Acknowledge She Knew of Documents
Molly Michael, a former assistant to Donald Trump, told investigators he had instructed her not to tell them about classified files he kept at Mar-a-Lago: “You don’t know anything about the boxes.”- [IMG alt="Molly Michael, left, walking in a blue dress. A man in a suit and holding a box is next to her."]https://static01.nyt.com/images/202...pg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale[/IMG]
By Maggie Haberman and Alan Feuer
Sept. 19, 2023Updated 6:05 p.m. ET
A former assistant to Donald J. Trump has informed investigators that the former president told her to say she did not know anything about the boxes containing classified documents that he had stashed at his private club in Florida after leaving the White House, according to a person briefed on her comments. The assistant, Molly Michael, who worked for Mr. Trump in the area outside the Oval Office and then in his post-presidential office, told the investigators about Mr. Trump’s comments when she was interviewed as part of the inquiry into his handling of sensitive government documents.
“You don’t know anything about the boxes,” Mr. Trump told Ms. Michael when he learned that federal officials wanted to talk to her in the case. Her account was first reported by ABC News and was confirmed by the person briefed on her comments.
Ms. Michael also told investigators that Mr. Trump would write notes to himself on documents that he gave her listing tasks he wanted done. She later realized that in some cases the documents had classified markings, the person briefed on her comments said. The specific nature of the documents in question remained unclear, the person said. “These illegal leaks are coming from sources which totally lack proper context and relevant information,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Mr. Trump. “The Department of Justice should investigate the criminal leaking, instead of perpetrating their baseless witch hunts.” Ms. Michael could not be reached for comment.
The revelations about Ms. Michael’s discussions with investigators were the latest to show the scale and nature of the evidence gathered by federal prosecutors working on the classified documents case. Mr. Trump stands accused of illegally holding on to dozens of highly sensitive national security records after leaving office and of conspiring with two aides at Mar-a-Lago, his club and residence in Florida, to obstruct the government’s repeated attempts to get them back. Ms. Michael is one of at least two witnesses who could be called to testify at Mr. Trump’s trial in the documents case and present the jury with evidence that the former president sought in some way to obstruct the government’s investigation. In July, another potential witness in the case, Yuscil Taveras, one of Mr. Trump’s information technology workers, reached a cooperation deal with the government and told investigators that the property manager at Mar-a-Lago asked him, at Mr. Trump’s request, to delete from a computer server security footage that the government was seeking as part of its inquiry.
Ms. Michael’s account about Mr. Trump writing notes on classified material did not appear to be directly related to any of the specific charges he is facing in the case. But the information could be used at trial to portray the former president as treating sensitive government documents recklessly or carelessly.
Her remarks could also be used to reinforce that Mr. Trump was trying to keep people from sharing information about the boxes with investigators.
Trump is found liable for fraud in New York civil case
ReutersSeptember 26, 20232:52 PM MDTUpdated 9 min ago
Trump is found liable for fraud in New York civil case
Donald Trump and his family business were found liable for fraud by a New York judge in state Attorney General Letitia James' lawsuit accusing him of illegally inflating his assets and net worth. A trial could last well into December.
Gori the Grey
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This part I especially like:
About damn time Trump got called out on his obstreperousness . . . obstreperocity . . . obstrepitude.
About damn time Trump got called out on his obstreperousness . . . obstreperocity . . . obstrepitude.
Last edited:
NYT
A New York judge ruled on Tuesday that Donald J. Trump persistently committed fraud by inflating the value of his assets, and stripped the former president of control over some of his signature New York properties. The decision by Justice Arthur F. Engoron is a major victory for Attorney General Letitia James in her lawsuit against Mr. Trump, effectively deciding that no trial was needed to determine that he had fraudulently secured favorable terms on loans and insurance deals. Ms. James has argued that Mr. Trump inflated the value of his properties by as much as $2.2 billion and is seeking a penalty of about $250 million in a trial scheduled to begin as early as Monday. Justice Engoron wrote that the annual financial statements that Mr. Trump submitted to banks and insurance companies “clearly contain fraudulent valuations that defendants used in business.”
Ms. James, in a brief statement, said, “We look forward to presenting the rest of our case at trial.” A lawyer for Mr. Trump, Christopher M. Kise, indicated that he would appeal the decision, which he called “outrageous” and “completely disconnected from the facts and governing law.” He said that the judge ignored an earlier appeals court ruling and “basic legal, accounting and business principles.” While the trial will determine the size of the penalty, Justice Engoron’s ruling granted one of the biggest punishments Ms. James sought: the cancellation of business certificates that allow some of Mr. Trump’s New York properties to operate, a move that could have major repercussions for the Trump family business.
An empire under scrutiny. Letitia James, New York State’s attorney general, has been conducting a yearslong civil investigation into former President Donald Trump’s business practices, culminating in a lawsuit that accused Trump of “staggering” fraud. Here’s what to know:
The origins of the inquiry. The investigation started after Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer, testified to Congress in 2019 that Trump and his employees had manipulated his net worth to suit his interests.
The findings. James detailed in a filing what she said was a pattern by the Trump Organization to inflate the value of the company’s properties in documents filed with lenders, insurers and the Internal Revenue Service.
Trump’s lawsuit. In December 2021, Trump sued James, seeking to halt the inquiry on the grounds that the attorney general’s involvement in the investigation was politically motivated. In May, a federal judge dismissed the suit.
Invoking the Fifth Amendment. In August, Trump faced questions by the attorney general under oath. He declined to answer anything and invoked his right against self-incrimination, leaving James with a crucial decision: whether to sue the former president or seek a settlement.
Fraud lawsuit. In September, James’s office rebuffed a settlement offer from Trump’s lawyers. Days later, she filed a lawsuit against Trump and his family business, accusing them of a sweeping pattern of fraudulent business practices. In October, Trump filed a suit in Florida, accusing James of trespassing on his right to privacy and seeking to halt her case.
The possible penalties. James is seeking to bar Trump and three of his adult children — Eric, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. — from ever running a business in the state again. Her office has also referred the findings to federal prosecutors in Manhattan.
The decision could terminate his control over a flagship commercial property at 40 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan and a family estate in Westchester County. Mr. Trump might also lose control over his other New York properties, including Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan and his golf club in Westchester. The order will not dissolve Mr. Trump’s company, which is a collection of hundreds of entities, but the decision could nonetheless have a sweeping impact on the heart of its New York operations. If Justice Engoron’s decision is not reversed by an appeals court, it could shut down an entity that employs hundreds of people working for him in New York, effectively crushing the company.
“The decision seeks to nationalize one of the most successful corporate empires in the United States and seize control of private property,” Mr. Kise said.
While Ms. James’s civil case had been overshadowed by the four criminal indictments of the former president — which are unrelated to Ms. James’s accusations — the judge’s decision, if it stands, will represent the first punishment to emerge from a government investigation into Mr. Trump. Justice Engoron’s decision narrows the issues that will be heard at trial, deciding that the core of Ms. James’s case was valid. It represents a major blow to Mr. Trump, whose lawyers had sought to persuade the judge to throw out many claims against the former president. In his order, Justice Engoron wrote scathingly about Mr. Trump’s defenses, saying that the former president and the other defendants, including his two adult sons and his company, ignored reality when it suited their business needs. “In defendants’ world,” he wrote, “rent-regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air.”
“That is a fantasy world, not the real world,” he added.
The judge also levied sanctions on Mr. Trump’s lawyers for making arguments that he had previously rejected. He ordered each to pay $7,500, noting that he had previously warned them that the arguments in question bordered on being frivolous.
Repeating them was “indefensible,” Justice Engoron wrote.
Mr. Trump still has an opportunity to delay the trial, or even gut the case. Mr. Trump has sued Justice Engoron himself, and an appeals court is expected to rule this week on his lawsuit. But if the appeals court rules against him, Mr. Trump will have to fight the remainder of the case at trial. Mr. Trump has long been his own most dedicated promoter and for years has acted as a booster for the value of his buildings and his brand. For years, the possibility that Mr. Trump was fraudulently exaggerating the value of his assets has intrigued prosecutors, and the Manhattan district attorney’s office at one point came close to indicting Mr. Trump for misrepresenting their value. The current district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, declined to pursue that case, but later indicted the former president in connection with a hush money payment to a porn star.
“A discrepancy of this order of magnitude, by a real estate developer sizing up his own living space of decades, can only be considered fraud,” he wrote. Mr. Trump’s lawyers had asked Justice Engoron for a so-called summary judgment — a ruling that they were entitled to a victory before trial based on undisputed facts — seeking to toss out many claims against him. They relied heavily on an appeals court ruling from June that raised the notion that some claims against Mr. Trump might be too old to proceed to trial. Justice Engoron denied Mr. Trump’s request, interpreting the appeals court ruling the opposite way that they had argued, while granting Ms. James’s similar bid for partial summary judgment. Mr. Trump, a Republican, has denied all wrongdoing and accused Ms. James, a Democrat, of political persecution. His lawyers have noted that the banks that lent Mr. Trump money were hardly victims: they turned profits. They also argued that valuing property can be subjective, more art than a strict science.
“The court disregarded the viewpoint of those actually involved in the loan transactions who testified there was nothing misleading, there was no fraud, and the transactions were all highly profitable,” Mr. Kise said in his statement. He added that there was “zero evidence of any default, breach, late payment or any complaint of harm.”
But Justice Engoron, with whom Mr. Trump’s lawyers have tangled at every turn, mocked those arguments. “The documents do not say what they say; that there is no such thing as ‘objective’ value,” the judge wrote, summarizing his take on their arguments, and adding, “Essentially, the court should not believe its own eyes.”
In a footnote, he added a line from the movie “Duck Soup” uttered by Chico Marx: “Well, who ya gonna believe, me or your own eyes?”
Judge Rules Trump Committed Fraud, Stripping Control of Key Properties
The decision in a lawsuit that could go to trial next week is a major win for Attorney General Letitia James, who says former President Donald J. Trump overvalued his holdings by as much as $2.2 billion.A New York judge ruled on Tuesday that Donald J. Trump persistently committed fraud by inflating the value of his assets, and stripped the former president of control over some of his signature New York properties. The decision by Justice Arthur F. Engoron is a major victory for Attorney General Letitia James in her lawsuit against Mr. Trump, effectively deciding that no trial was needed to determine that he had fraudulently secured favorable terms on loans and insurance deals. Ms. James has argued that Mr. Trump inflated the value of his properties by as much as $2.2 billion and is seeking a penalty of about $250 million in a trial scheduled to begin as early as Monday. Justice Engoron wrote that the annual financial statements that Mr. Trump submitted to banks and insurance companies “clearly contain fraudulent valuations that defendants used in business.”
Ms. James, in a brief statement, said, “We look forward to presenting the rest of our case at trial.” A lawyer for Mr. Trump, Christopher M. Kise, indicated that he would appeal the decision, which he called “outrageous” and “completely disconnected from the facts and governing law.” He said that the judge ignored an earlier appeals court ruling and “basic legal, accounting and business principles.” While the trial will determine the size of the penalty, Justice Engoron’s ruling granted one of the biggest punishments Ms. James sought: the cancellation of business certificates that allow some of Mr. Trump’s New York properties to operate, a move that could have major repercussions for the Trump family business.
Understand New York State’s Civil Case Against Trump
Card 1 of 7An empire under scrutiny. Letitia James, New York State’s attorney general, has been conducting a yearslong civil investigation into former President Donald Trump’s business practices, culminating in a lawsuit that accused Trump of “staggering” fraud. Here’s what to know:
The origins of the inquiry. The investigation started after Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer, testified to Congress in 2019 that Trump and his employees had manipulated his net worth to suit his interests.
The findings. James detailed in a filing what she said was a pattern by the Trump Organization to inflate the value of the company’s properties in documents filed with lenders, insurers and the Internal Revenue Service.
Trump’s lawsuit. In December 2021, Trump sued James, seeking to halt the inquiry on the grounds that the attorney general’s involvement in the investigation was politically motivated. In May, a federal judge dismissed the suit.
Invoking the Fifth Amendment. In August, Trump faced questions by the attorney general under oath. He declined to answer anything and invoked his right against self-incrimination, leaving James with a crucial decision: whether to sue the former president or seek a settlement.
Fraud lawsuit. In September, James’s office rebuffed a settlement offer from Trump’s lawyers. Days later, she filed a lawsuit against Trump and his family business, accusing them of a sweeping pattern of fraudulent business practices. In October, Trump filed a suit in Florida, accusing James of trespassing on his right to privacy and seeking to halt her case.
The possible penalties. James is seeking to bar Trump and three of his adult children — Eric, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. — from ever running a business in the state again. Her office has also referred the findings to federal prosecutors in Manhattan.
The decision could terminate his control over a flagship commercial property at 40 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan and a family estate in Westchester County. Mr. Trump might also lose control over his other New York properties, including Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan and his golf club in Westchester. The order will not dissolve Mr. Trump’s company, which is a collection of hundreds of entities, but the decision could nonetheless have a sweeping impact on the heart of its New York operations. If Justice Engoron’s decision is not reversed by an appeals court, it could shut down an entity that employs hundreds of people working for him in New York, effectively crushing the company.
“The decision seeks to nationalize one of the most successful corporate empires in the United States and seize control of private property,” Mr. Kise said.
While Ms. James’s civil case had been overshadowed by the four criminal indictments of the former president — which are unrelated to Ms. James’s accusations — the judge’s decision, if it stands, will represent the first punishment to emerge from a government investigation into Mr. Trump. Justice Engoron’s decision narrows the issues that will be heard at trial, deciding that the core of Ms. James’s case was valid. It represents a major blow to Mr. Trump, whose lawyers had sought to persuade the judge to throw out many claims against the former president. In his order, Justice Engoron wrote scathingly about Mr. Trump’s defenses, saying that the former president and the other defendants, including his two adult sons and his company, ignored reality when it suited their business needs. “In defendants’ world,” he wrote, “rent-regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air.”
“That is a fantasy world, not the real world,” he added.
The judge also levied sanctions on Mr. Trump’s lawyers for making arguments that he had previously rejected. He ordered each to pay $7,500, noting that he had previously warned them that the arguments in question bordered on being frivolous.
Repeating them was “indefensible,” Justice Engoron wrote.
Mr. Trump still has an opportunity to delay the trial, or even gut the case. Mr. Trump has sued Justice Engoron himself, and an appeals court is expected to rule this week on his lawsuit. But if the appeals court rules against him, Mr. Trump will have to fight the remainder of the case at trial. Mr. Trump has long been his own most dedicated promoter and for years has acted as a booster for the value of his buildings and his brand. For years, the possibility that Mr. Trump was fraudulently exaggerating the value of his assets has intrigued prosecutors, and the Manhattan district attorney’s office at one point came close to indicting Mr. Trump for misrepresenting their value. The current district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, declined to pursue that case, but later indicted the former president in connection with a hush money payment to a porn star.
A Guide to the Various Trump Investigations
Confused about the inquiries and legal cases involving former President Donald Trump? We’re here to help.
- Key Cases and Inquiries: The former president faces several investigations at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers. Here is a close look at each.
- Case Tracker: Trump is at the center of four criminal investigations. Keep track of the developments in each here.
- What if Trump Is Convicted?: Will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign? Can a convicted felon even run for office? Here is what we know, and what we don’t know.
“A discrepancy of this order of magnitude, by a real estate developer sizing up his own living space of decades, can only be considered fraud,” he wrote. Mr. Trump’s lawyers had asked Justice Engoron for a so-called summary judgment — a ruling that they were entitled to a victory before trial based on undisputed facts — seeking to toss out many claims against him. They relied heavily on an appeals court ruling from June that raised the notion that some claims against Mr. Trump might be too old to proceed to trial. Justice Engoron denied Mr. Trump’s request, interpreting the appeals court ruling the opposite way that they had argued, while granting Ms. James’s similar bid for partial summary judgment. Mr. Trump, a Republican, has denied all wrongdoing and accused Ms. James, a Democrat, of political persecution. His lawyers have noted that the banks that lent Mr. Trump money were hardly victims: they turned profits. They also argued that valuing property can be subjective, more art than a strict science.
“The court disregarded the viewpoint of those actually involved in the loan transactions who testified there was nothing misleading, there was no fraud, and the transactions were all highly profitable,” Mr. Kise said in his statement. He added that there was “zero evidence of any default, breach, late payment or any complaint of harm.”
But Justice Engoron, with whom Mr. Trump’s lawyers have tangled at every turn, mocked those arguments. “The documents do not say what they say; that there is no such thing as ‘objective’ value,” the judge wrote, summarizing his take on their arguments, and adding, “Essentially, the court should not believe its own eyes.”
In a footnote, he added a line from the movie “Duck Soup” uttered by Chico Marx: “Well, who ya gonna believe, me or your own eyes?”
Trump Org. tries to figure out the future of its business after fraud ruling
By Sabrina Souza and Devan Cole, CNNUpdated 5:33 PM EDT, Wed September 27, 2023
Gori the Grey
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He might be evicted from his residences, I've heard, because he doesn't own them; they're owned by his LLCs and then provided to him as an employee benefit. 
Wouldn't that be fun! Homeless and on the street.
He can go crash at one of Putin's homes or yachts.
There's also rooms available in prison...
There's also rooms available in prison...
But he can only crash at the home of someone whose employee he is…
N.Y. appeals court refuses to delay Trump fraud trial set to start Monday
By Shayna Jacobs
September 28, 2023 at 3:57 p.m. EDT
NEW YORK — An appeals court Thursday declined to postpone the start of next week’s trial in the New York attorney general’s $250 million fraud lawsuit against Donald Trump and his company.
The appellate court had been asked by Trump’s legal team to put off the scheduled start of the proceeding Monday and to force New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who will oversee it, to dismiss claims that were covered by statute of limitations.
In its two-page ruling, a panel at the Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, does not say whether Engoron committed an error by not finding that elements of the case are time-barred. An interim stay of the trial was vacated. The ruling follows a major decision by Engoron on Tuesday that fraud was committed broadly by Trump, his namesake company, two of his adult children and two longtime employees. In that decision, Engoron ordered the revocation of Trump’s business certificates in New York and signaled that those entities would be dissolved under a receivership.
At the trial, Engoron will now only determine whether illegal conduct was employed by Trump and his executives to commit the long-running fraud. Both sides submitted lengthy witness lists to the court including current and former Trump Organization employees as well as experts and representatives from lenders that did business with Trump.
Engoron’s fraud determination this week was a significant blow to Trump and his Manhattan-based real estate, hospitality and golf resort behemoth. The ruling suggests that Trump and his family may soon lose control of several properties managed by the Trump Organization. The ruling was a victory for Attorney General Letitia James (D), who had asked that Engoron simplify the upcoming trial by deciding in advance that fraud was generally committed so the state would need to prove only specific illegal acts.
I wonder if Melania will have to move. Buying a new place in Manhattan might be costly.
FriendlyFire
Codex WMDicanious
I think we are getting ahead of ourselves, trump lawyers is trying to appeal and delay the ruling, hoping for a lessor punishment ?
But its NYC so the odds are unlikely
But its NYC so the odds are unlikely
