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Donald Trump has refiled paperwork for the bond to appeal his New York civil fraud trial ruling, but Attorney General Letitia James says she needs more information about the company underwriting the $175m.
Her office filed notice on Thursday asking for evidence that Knight Specialty Insurance Company (KSIC) can pay up if needed. The former president would remain on the hook for the remainder of the total $464m judgment against him should his appeal fail.
Regarding his criminal cases, Mr Trump has been dealt two other legal blows this week.
In his Manhattan hush-money case, his bid to have the trial delayed on the grounds of presidential immunity was rejected by Judge Juan Merchan, who has also expanded a gag order on the former president.
Meanwhile, in Florida, Judge Aileen Cannon has denied his motion to dismiss the classified documents case based on the Presidential Records Act, which Mr Trump claims gave him the authority to retain papers containing national security information.
Judge Cannon also denied Special Counsel Jack Smith’s request for a prompt ruling on jury instructions prior to trial.
She called the prosecution’s request “unprecedented and unjust”. Mr Smith has criticised the judge’s handling of the case.
Watch: Maria Bartiromo and Nancy Mace clash over whether Kevin McCarthy is ‘disgraced’
Oliver O’Connell5 April 2024 07:15
The best, and the worst, of Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani’s political career has certainly followed a highly unusual trajectory.
He went from being known as “America’s Mayor,” praised as a hero for his handling of the aftermath of 9/11 in New York City, to a rather more infamous stint as Donald Trump’s personal attorney, accused of spreading voter fraud lies after the 2020 election.
He has made infamous appearances on TV shows and in movies and unforgettably gave a press conference with dark hair dye streaking down his sweaty face.
Kelly Rissman and Joe Sommerlad report:
Oliver O’Connell5 April 2024 06:15
Karl Rove condemns Trump wanting to pardon Jan 6 felons
George W Bush administration veteran Karl Rove gave a blunt assessment of Donald Trump’s promise to pardon January 6 Capitol rioters for their crimes during a panel discussion hosted by MSNBC’s Ari Melber.
“[Donald Trump] wants to pardon these people who attacked our Capitol. I worked in that building, as a young man, to me the Congress of the United States is one of the great examples of the strength of our democracy and a jewel of the Constitution,” he said. “What those people did, when they violently attacked the Capitol, in order to stop a constitutionally mandated meeting of Congress to accept the results of the Electoral College is a stain on our history, and every one of the sons of b****** who did that, we ought to find them, try ‘em, and send ‘em to jail.”
Mr Rove added: “One of the critical mistakes made in this campaign is that Donald Trump has now said I’m going to pardon those people because they’re hostages. No, they’re not. They’re thugs.”
Oliver O’Connell5 April 2024 05:15
What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?
After the events in Washington DC on 6 January, it seemed the spell that Donald Trump had on American voters was finally broken. But, four years on, he is all but guaranteed to win the Republican Party nomination to face Joe Biden in the 2024 election and is looking capable of winning back the White House, despite warnings that he’ll primarily use the Oval Office to settle scores. The Independent’s Andrew Feinberg covered the first Trump presidency and analyses what a second term may look like in Behind The Headlines.
Oliver O’Connell5 April 2024 04:15
What did Trump and MBS talk about?
The newspaper states that it is not known precisely what the Republican presidential candidate discussed with the prince – his country’s de facto leader, commonly referred to simply as “MBS” – or whether this was their first exchange since the former president left the White House in January 2021.
The Independent has reached out to Mr Trump’s campaign team for more details about the reported conversation with His Majesty.
House Oversight Democrats have a few thoughts:
Oliver O’Connell5 April 2024 03:15
Who is billionaire and ‘king of subprime car loans’ behind Trump’s $175m fraud bond
“As promised, president Trump has posted bond,” the former president’s attorney Alina Habba told ABC News in a statement.
“He looks forward to vindicating his rights on appeal and overturning this unjust verdict.”
Knight Specialty is owned by Malibu-based businessman Don Hankey, whom MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin described as “the king of subprime car loans” – specialising in lending to automobile buyers with poor credit ratings at high rates of interest.
Oliver O’Connell5 April 2024 02:15
Giuliani warned of ‘draconian’ personal costs he faces over $148m fine at bankruptcy hearing
Mr Giuliani is in bankruptcy court after voluntarily filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December following a judge ordering him to pay a colossal penalty of $148m for defaming two Georgia election workers: Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. Now, his creditors are trying to figure out how to get the funds they are owed.
At a 4 April hearing in bankruptcy court, Judge Sean Lane heard arguments from lawyers for Mr Giuliani and the Committee of Unsecured Creditors after the committee filed a motion last month to compel the former mayor to sell his Florida condo.
The judge did not rule on this motion on Thursday.
Oliver O’Connell5 April 2024 01:15
Watch: No Labels national director would pick Biden over Trump
Oliver O’Connell5 April 2024 00:15
Biden campaign shreds Trump for pledging to pardon Jan 6 rioters
The Biden 2024 campaign has slammed Donald Trump for his pledge to pardon January 6 rioters whom he refers to as “hostages”.
In a press release, they highlight a list of those currently held in pre-trial detention collated by NBC News
- Taylor James Johnatakis: Sentenced just yesterday to more than seven years in prison for leading, organizing, and encouraging the assault of officers at the U.S. Capitol on January 6
- Daniel Ball: Charged with assaulting law enforcement
- John Banuelos: Accused of firing a gun during the Capitol attack
- Tim Boughner: Allegedly bragged he “f—ed those cops up”
- Joseph Daniel Hutchinson III, Jonathan Pollock, and Olivia Pollock:
- Charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers as well as theft of + government property – Pollock allegedly grabbed an officer by the waist and pulled the officer down a set of stairs and punched another officer in the face
- Edward Kelley: Charged with plotting to murder FBI employees after his release in Jan. 6 case
- Jacob Lang: Charged with repeatedly assaulting law enforcement
- Christopher Maurer: Charged with swinging a pipe at officers
- Jeffrey McKellop: Accused of attacking police
- Taylor Taranto: Reportedly showed up at Obama’s house with guns and ammunition after Trump posted the address
- Gregory Yetman: Accused of felony charges of assaulting officers and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder
Oliver O’Connell4 April 2024 23:45
ICYMI: Trump wants Biden drug-tested for being ‘higher than a kite’
Oliver O’Connell4 April 2024 23:15
