Donald Trump launches the 2024 presidential campaign
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Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed Justice Department veteran and former war crimes prosecutor in The Hague Jack Smith as special counsel to consider whether former President Donald Trump should be prosecuted.
Mr Garland made the announcement at a news conference on Friday and said Mr Smith would focus on the possibility of charges arising from the investigation into the January 6 Capitol riots and classified Mar-a-Lago documents.
The former president called the move “the worst politicization of the judiciary” and said: “I will not participate in it.”
The news comes just days after he delivered an unusually dejected speech announcing his intention to run for the presidency in 2024.
Author E Jean Carroll, who claims Donald Trump raped her in a New York department store in the 1990s, is bringing another lawsuit against him, accusing him of assault.
Ms. Carroll is bringing her case under a New York law that allows adult survivors of sexual assault to file civil suits even after the statute of limitations for an alleged crime has expired.
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Everything we know about E Jean Carroll’s rape allegations against Donald Trump
After claiming that Donald Trump raped her in a New York department store in the late 1990s, E Jean Carroll has spent years trying to sue Donald Trump for defamation after publicly accusing her of lying about the alleged incident.
However, Mr Trump’s recent attempt to delay Ms Carroll’s defamation lawsuit failed, meaning he had to testify and answer questions under oath on October 19.
Roberta Kaplan, Ms Carroll’s attorney, said in a statement: “We are pleased that Judge Kaplan has agreed with our position not to stay the investigation in this case.”
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 23:50
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Pelosi subtly attacks Trump in his farewell speech
Outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi added a dig of former President Donald Trump during her farewell speech on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday morning.
“It was my honor to play a part in making extraordinary progress for the American people,” said Ms. Pelosi. “I’ve enjoyed working with three presidents.”
She was spokeswoman during four governments.
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 22:50
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Trump makes statement on ‘never-ending witch hunt’ at 8:30 p.m
Former President Donald Trump is set to make a statement tonight appointing a special counsel to oversee the investigation into him.
Shortly before that announcement, he posted: “Here we go again! I thought the Unselect Committee was a dead issue on January 6th, especially with Liz Chaney’s record loss in the Great State of Wyoming, and also found that the records forgery case, after reading the Clinton-Socks case and the Presidential Record Act checked. He was dead, or at least dying fast. The Democratic Justice Department had nothing but Trump haters, so they just appointed a special prosecutor to prosecute me. Shameful!”
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 22:34
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E Jean Carroll is filing a new defamation lawsuit against Trump
E Jean Carroll, the writer who several decades ago accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in a New York department store, is pursuing a new legal suit against the former president, accusing him of assault and defamation.
On Thursday, an attorney representing the 78-year-old former Elle advice columnist said in a court filing that his client will file a new defamation lawsuit against the year-old president over statements he made on social media last month and in which Ms. Carroll was painted as a liar and accused her case of being “a complete hoax,” the New York Times reported.
Johanna Chisholm has the details.
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 22:20
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Haberman: “Weaker response” to special counsel than FBI search
Maggie Haberman, Donald Trump specialist at The New York Times, notes: “Trump had a tremendous rallying effect when the FBI search took place in August. Since the Special Counsel’s announcement, there has been a more muted response so far.”
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 21:59
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Capitol rioter who said he was following “directions from the President” was sentenced to three years in prison
A federal judge on Friday sentenced an Ohio man who claimed he was merely following “presidential orders” from Donald Trump when he stormed the US Capitol to three years in prison.
Dustin Byron Thompson was convicted in April by a jury that took less than three hours to dismiss his novel defense for preventing Congress from confirming Joe Biden’s election victory.
The jury also found Thompson guilty of all five other charges in his indictment, including stealing a wardrobe from a Capitol office during the January 6, 2021 riots.
Thompson apologized and said he was ashamed of his actions.
US District Judge Reggie Walton told Thompson he couldn’t understand how someone with a college degree could “go down the rabbit hole” and “believe so much in a lie.” The judge said Thompson must pay a price for a “grave crime” that undermines the “integrity and existence of this country.”
The maximum penalty for reporting disability was 20 years in prison. The government had recommended a sentence of 70 months in prison, while the defense called for a year and a day in prison.
Thompson testified in court that he joined the mob attack and stole the wardrobe and a bottle of bourbon. He said he regrets his “disgraceful” behavior. But he also said he believes Trump’s false claim that the election was stolen and is trying to lobby on his behalf.
Thompson was charged and convicted of six counts: obstructing the joint session of Congress to confirm the electoral college vote, stealing government property, entering or remaining in a restricted building or lot, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or lot, disorderly or disruptive Behavior Behavior in a Capitol and parades, demonstrations, or pickets in a Capitol.
More than 770 people have been charged with federal crimes arising from the insurgency. Over 250 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors. Thompson was the fifth person to be tried for rioting.
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 21:50
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Profile: Jack Smith? The Special Counsel has extensive experience in high-profile cases
Jack Smith, the veteran war crimes prosecutor who returns to the United States to lead the investigation into former President Donald Trump, is no stranger to high-profile investigations into public figures.
Andrew Feinberg portrays the Justice Department veteran who takes on what may be the most high-profile case of his career.
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 21:25
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White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says of President Joe Biden’s knowledge of the appointment of a special counsel to investigate whether former President Donald Trump should be prosecuted:
No, he wasn’t aware of it, we weren’t aware of it. The Department of Justice independently decides on criminal investigations. We are not involved… We were not notified in advance. We were not aware of this investigation.
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 21:17
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“I will not participate”: Trump reacts angrily to the special counsel’s move
Donald Trump has slammed the appointment of a special counsel to lead the investigation into his handling of classified information and the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
“I’ve been going through this for six years — I’ve been going through this for six years, and I’m not going through it anymore,” Mr Trump told Fox News Digital on Friday after the attorney was revealed. “And I hope Republicans have the courage to fight it.”
Gustaf Kilander reports on the former President’s reaction.
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 21:06
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White House: No evidence of AG Special Counsel’s decision
Oliver O’Connell18. Nov 2022 20:53