Trump news live: New York DA Alvin Bragg set for showdown with House Republicans over hush money conviction
New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg has agreed to testify before the House Judiciary Committee, helmed by Congressman Jim Jordan, over Donald Trump’s conviction at his hush money trial.
Meanwhile, the judge presiding over Trump’s hush money trial has alerted prosecutors and defense counsel about a Facebook comment from an apparent social media troll announcing a conviction one day before a jury handed down a guilty verdict. The comment has since been deleted.
A brief letter from New York Justice Juan Merchan on Friday tells the parties that the court “became aware of a comment” from a user named “Michael Anderson” that states: “My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted … Thank you folks for all your hard work!!!!”
This week Trump also took part in a wild interview with TV psychologist Dr Phil in which the Republican presidential candidate proclaimed that “sometimes revenge can be justified” as he looked ahead to a theoretical second term in the White House.
Dr Phil largely adhered to Trump’s conspiracy-laden point-of-view allowing false claims to pass unchecked, particularly regarding his recent conviction.
New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg agrees to testify to Republicans in Congress after landing Trump guilty verdict
Bragg’s testimony comes at the demand of House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, who sent a letter last month stating that the DA and Matthew Colangelo, a prosecutor on the case, participate in a House panel on 13 June.
Jordan, long a Trump loyalist, described the trial as an act of “unprecedented political prosecution” against the former president, according to The Hill.
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 14:00
Trump says ‘all’ of his trials are ‘concocted’ by Joe Biden
Donald Trump insisted on Truth Social on Saturday that “all” of his trials have been “concoted” by Joe Biden to thwart him ahead of the 2024 election in November.
He insisted, in all caps, that the trials are a “POLITICAL WITCH HUNT.”
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 13:00
Trump takes credit for lower insulin prices under Joe Biden’s presidency
Former President Donald Trump is taking credit for lower insulin prices, despite the fact that they occurred under Joe Biden’s presidency.
On Saturday, Trump took to TruthSocial to celebrate the lower prices — and himself.
“Low INSULIN PRICING was gotten for millions of Americans by me, and the Trump Administration, not by Crooked Joe Biden. He had NOTHING to do with it,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “It was all done long before he so sadly entered office. All he does is try to take credit for things done by others, in this case, ME!”
In reality, insulin prices are lower in part thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed under Biden’s administration.
The act introduced provisions intended to reduce the price of medicine for seniors, including capping the price of insulin at $35 per month for Medicare recipients.
Biden has also pushed for a universal insulin cap that would cover more Americans.
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 12:00
Hannity pushes conspiracy theory about debunked social media post
Right-wing media host Sean Hannity is running with an obvious troll post highlighted by Judge Juan Merchan, who adjudicated Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York, claiming, erroneously, it was evidence of a fixed trial.
“This is, by far, a very alarming development,” Hannity said. “Was the fixing from the beginning? Is this cause for a mistrial?”
It is not cause for a mistrial, as the trial is already over.
The post in question was made on social media by someone describing themselves as a “professional s***poster.”
“My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted. Thank you folks for all your hard work!!!!” the post said.
Judge Merchan mentioned the post in a letter he sent to attorneys involved in the trial, noting that the post was “labeled as one week old,” meaning it was made after the verdict had already been announced.
Social media users were quick to point out to Hannity that the social media post had been debunked.
Even still it didn’t stop the usual rogues gallery of MAGA coathangers from running with it as though it was irrefutable evidence of the former president’s innocence.
Right-wing provacatuer Laura Loomer also incorrectly claimed that the former president could be granted a mistrial, and Representaitve Marjorie Taylor Greene claimed the “fix was in from the beginning.”
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 11:00
Bankrupt Rudy GiuliBankrupt Rudy Giuliani’s partner in comeback coffee business is also bankruptani’s partner in comeback coffee business is also bankrupt
In May, Giuliani launched Rudy Coffee, a signature coffee line with politically-themed flavors like “Fighting for Justice” and “America’s Mayor.”
His partner in the venture is Burke Brands, the South Florida-based maker and distributor of Don Pablo coffee, The Daily Beast reported.
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 10:00
Trump is ‘the chosen one’ picked by God according to cringeworthy new song
A cringeworthy new single proclaims Donald Trump the “chosen one” picked by God to lead the US – and its music video has racked up 85,000 views on YouTube in just three days.
Katie Hawkinson has the story:
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 09:00
He can be president but he can’t be a nurse: The jobs Trump can’t get with felony convictions
He cannot legally bartend in Florida, but he can be president of the United States. He can be legally denied certain public housing, but he could soon live at the White House. And he cannot legally possess a firearm in any state, but he could soon command the country’s nuclear arsenal.
But unlike the millions of Americans re-entering society after conviction and incarcerations, who face countless barriers to decent jobs, housing, healthcare, childcare, and the ability to vote, among other hurdles, Trump can rely on his immense wealth, influence and potential path to the presidency to avoid them.
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 08:00
Trump’s strategy for presidential vengeance gets clearer
In fairness, most Republican actions — particularly in the House of Representatives and on the state level — could be interpreted as an act of revenge these days. That’s because most of them feel Trump was wronged by the “Deep State” and Democrats, and that the multiple investigations and two impeachments are somehow proof of that.
But Trump has not been shy about his very personal desire for revenge.
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 07:00
Biden makes veiled allusions to Trump in D-Day speech about democracy
President Joe Biden on Friday urged the current generation of Americans to heed the example of the Greatest Generation by defending democracy at home and abroad in a speech rife with allusions to his 2024 election opponent.
Speaking from the same location where then-president Ronald Reagan honored the “boys of Pointe du Hoc” four decades earlier, Biden channeled the memory of the US Army Rangers who’d fought their way up the sandy heights to open a hole in Nazi Germany’s so-called Atlantic Wall and cast the contemporary tensions between democracy and modern authoritarian movements as a similar battle.
His remarks, while official in nature, came at a time when he is seeking to cast Trump as a grave threat to democracy allied with the same authoritarian forces that Americans have fought in generations past.
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 06:00
Trump issues chilling threat in Dr Phil interview: ‘Sometimes revenge can be justified’
Donald Trump issued a chilling warning that “revenge can be justified” during a wild interview with Dr Phil, less than a week after a New York jury convicted him on all charges in the hush money trial.
The former president, and new felon, has gone on to blast the judge and jury, while falsely accusing President Joe Biden of orchestrating the criminal case against him.
Trump has also made repeated threats to prosecute his political rivals should he return to the White House.
Dr Phil addressed Trump’s threats of retribution during Thursday evening’s interview.
Graig Graziosi9 June 2024 04:59