Tag: Trump

Reggaeton music artist Nicky Jam has rescinded his endorsement of Donald Trump as a result of the racist and degrading comments delivered by a comedian who performed at a recent Trump campaign event, particularly those targeting Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans.

Nicky Jam was one of the only Reggaeton artists to support Trump. He got a lot of heat from other musicians about it. He attended a Trump rally in Las Vegas in September, where Trump, having no idea who he was, introduced him as a female telling the audience "She's hot." Today, in rescinding his endorsement in this Instagram video in Spanish he said: (rough translation)

"The reason why I supported Donald Trump was because I thought it was the best thing for the economy in the United States, where many Latinos live ... I thought it was the best move. Never in my life did I think that a month later a comedian was going to come to criticize my country and talk bad about my country and therefore, I renounce any support to Donald Trump and That’s why I’m renouncing my support for Donald Trump and stepping away from any political conversation. Puerto Rico deserves respect.” he said.

Puerto Ricans can't vote in the U.S. Presidential election, but they have a lot of weight with relatives and friends who can vote. Nicky Jam has 43 million followers on Instagram. In 3 hours, the post had more than 85,000 likes.

Also today, Arnold Schwarzenegger broke with Republicans and said he's voting for Kamala Harris. [More...]

America, it is our choice. Authoritarianism and Xenophobia vs. our representative democracy.

Let's not throw away the last 200 years. Please reject the Manichean, extremist, right-wing ticket.

When covering a trial, there is nothing better to read for accuracy than the court transcripts. In almost all federal trials, transcripts are guarded like hawks, because that's how court reporters make their money. By the page. In major trials, the major media companies form a consortium and pitch in together to share the cost. But they rarely share, due to the court reporter's right to charge for each copy. The Trump hush-money trial is not in federal court, and some state courts are better attuned to transparency with their citizens.

So let's give thanks to the New York State Court system, which has made the Trump Hush Money trial transcripts available now, for free. And thanks to the New York Times for publishing them all. So you all don't hit another pay wall, since I am a Times subscriber, I have ten free links to share a month. Here is my free and shareable link to the transcripts.

Should the link not work, with a little bit of help from Google, I'm sure you can find the New York State Unified Court System website which should have the link, or another media outlet that's decided to post them.

By reading the transcripts, we all avoid fake news. [More...]

Update 5:57 pm: Donald has left the room. The motorcade is leaving the scene. Watching the over-the-top security of 18 motorcycles and a motorcade of black vans for Donald, his staff, and what CNN calls "prep vans", it all seems so unnecessary. Why doesn't one van with Donald and two secret service agents suffice? Why does his staff get their own motorcade? Have they never heard of Uber? This is almost as ridiculous (but not quite as bad) as Biden's entourage into Aspen a few years ago.

Update: Donald's mugshot was taken. According to CNN, his daughter-in-law Lara Trump said they are prepared to use it for merchandise to raise funds. His weight is listed at 215 pounds (In his dreams).

Original Post: It's finally happening. An event we've all been waiting 8 years for, since the man with no respect or regard for others and no government experience managed to take over the oval office.

He's about to arrive at the Fulton County Jail to be booked in. Mug shot or not, he's being booked with tens if not hundreds of viewers around the world watching his motorcade. [More...]

Trump indicted again???
Yes, this time in state court in Georgia. The Indictment is here.

Trump is charged in 13 counts, including a state RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) count and conspiracy to commit first degree forgery.

Giuliani also has 13 counts, but they are not all the same as the charges against Trump.

Also indicted: Lawyers Sidney Powell (7 counts), Jenna Ellis (2 counts) and Trump-ites Mark Meadows (9 counts) and John Eastman (2 counts).

Not indicted: Donald Trump, Jr.

My first reaction: Never have I ever had a client charged in four separate indictments in four jurisdictions simultaneously. For any criminal defense lawyers reading this, raise your hand if any of your clients ever faced four indictments in separate jurisdictions at the same time ("Raise your hand" means tell us in the comments section).

Here is the Florida Indictment charging Donald Trump and his aide Walt Nauta in the Classified Documents case.

Trump is charged in a whopping 37 counts. Nauta, a is charged in 6 counts. Who is Walt Nauta?

[A] military aide working as a White House valet while Mr. Trump was president.

Nauta retired and went to work for Trump as a personal aide after Trump left Washington. [More...]

Donald Trump has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Florida investigating his retention of classified documents after he left the White House and then obstructing the Government's attempt to reclaim them.

People with knowledge of the Indictment say there are seven counts against him, including conspiracy to obstruct, willful retention of documents and false statements. [Update: They were wrong, he faces 37 counts]

It is a first for the United States. The first time a former President has been indicted for a federal crime.

Update: Trump has already responded on his social media platform claiming to be "an innocent man, an innocent person." That much is true, at this moment he is and will remain innocent, until he is found guilty by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

He is expected to appear in federal court in Miami on Tuesday. More to come.

Last week, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen testified twice before the state grand jury (free link) and Stormy Daniels, the former adult film star, met with state prosecutors in New York. The grand jury is investigating Trump over a payment Cohen allegedly paid Daniels to keep quiet about a one-night sexcapade Daniels claims she had with Trump in 2006. (Trump married Melania in 2005 and Barron Trump was born in 2006).

Today, Donald Trump announced on his social media site that he expects to be arrested on Tuesday. He called on his supporters to protest and "take our nation back." [More...]

The New York Attorney General announced it has joined the New York DA's criminal investigation of the Trump Organization. Previously, the AG's investigation was civil rather than criminal.

A spokesman for the state's top prosecutor, Letitia James, said the inquiry into Mr Trump's property company was "no longer purely civil"....We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan DA."

The AG spokesman said it has notified the Trump Organization of the change in status. According to the New York Times, it's about Trump Org. Chief Financial Officer Alan Weisselberg and his family. [More...]

The Washington Post has a new report analyzing expense money Donald Trump directed be paid to his properties since he got his desk in the oval office. Saying it is the tip of the iceberg, it has tracked at least $2.5 million in taxpayer funds, and $5.5 million from his campaign and fundraising committee to his properties.

Since his first month in office, Trump has used his power to direct millions from U.S. taxpayers — and from his political supporters — into his own businesses. The Washington Post has sought to compile examples of this spending through open records requests and a lawsuit.

In all, he has received at least $8.1 million from these two sources since he took office, those documents and publicly available records show.

He’s visited his hotels and clubs more than 280 times now, making them a familiar backdrop for his presidency. And in doing so, he has turned those properties into magnets for GOP events, including glitzy fundraisers for his own reelection campaign, where big donors go to see and be seen.

Some examples [More....]

During Donald Trump's SOTU I mentioned a few things I thought would backfire big time. First, his spotlight on his guest, Juan Guaidó, who is an opposition leader in Venezuela.

Trump called Guaidó the “true and legitimate” leader of Venezuela and said President Nicolas Maduro is a “tyrant” as lawmakers applauded.

“Mr. President, please take this message back to your homeland,” Trump said to Guaidó. “All Americans are united with the Venezuelan people in their righteous struggle for freedom.”

Here's the result of Trump's welcome of Guaidó:

Six American oil executives under house arrest in Venezuela were rounded up by police hours after President Donald Trump met Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s chief opponent at the White House, according to family members of the men.

[More...]

Donald Trump has postponed the announcement of his Vice Presidential running mate. He attributed the postponement to the attacks in Nice. I don't buy it.

The clock is ticking for Mr. Thump. The Republican convention begins Monday in Cleveland. Is anyone else a little unsettled about reports that the finalists are being chosen by Trump's children? What do they know about running a country? I'd feel better if he picked George -- the older guy who advises him on the apprentice. He seems smart and even tempered.

Newt did a have a funny line though: In an interview yesterday, he said he told Thump the choice was between having "two pirates on the ticket or a pirate and a relatively stable, more normal person." Which did Newt think he was?

Trump also told Fox News he would ask Congress for a Declaration of War against ISIS.