The News Not Noise Letter: Trump’s Legal Woes
From defamation to obstruction here's a review of the Trump investigations. Plus: the Trump deepfakes and how many bank failures in US history?
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Today, I bring you an overview of the headline-grabbing investigations into former President Donald Trump. I know some of you don’t want to hear about Trump and I’ll catch grief for covering this. I’ll catch grief from others if I don’t cover this. It’s my job to take the grief and bring you the news that matters.
These investigations merit your attention now because several DA’s seem poised to make their charging decisions; one case is headed to trial in weeks; and public developments in the special counsel’s probe have lots of eyes on the Department of Justice. At the same time, Trump is cranking up the noise machine denouncing these investigations and the “thugs and criminals corrupting our justice system.” He’s even called his 2024 campaign “the final battle.” So arm yourself with information, before the battle begins. (I know, it’s not a joke and it’s not a battle. But if we can’t have humor, what’s left?)
Four Headline-Grabbing Investigations into Trump:
Georgia Election Meddling: Fulton County DA Fani Willis is investigating whether the Trump campaign attempted to overturn the 2020 election. This includes Trump’s call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which he asked him to “find 11,780 votes which is one more than we have.” (To win in Georgia, Trump needed only 5891 votes – half the total margin plus one – but, math.) The grand jury in the case reportedly interviewed 75 witnesses and recommended indictments which could include Trump. Trump’s lawyers are trying to get the grand jury’s work thrown out and DA Fani Willis has to clear that hurdle before deciding whether/who/and what to charge. Status: Waiting.
New York Supreme Court/Alleged Rape & Defamation: Write E. Jean Carroll is suing Trump for defamation and damages in this civil case. In 2019, Carroll alleged that Trump sexually assaulted her in a NY department store dressing room in the 1990s and then defamed her when she wrote about it. (Trump denied the rape saying “she’s not my type,” and claimed she was just trying to drive book sales.) Status: Trial begins April 25.
Manhattan DA/Stormy Daniels: A Manhattan grand jury has been hearing evidence in this criminal investigation. It regards $130,000 Trump’s ex-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election to buy her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. Cohen says the payments were wrongly booked as “legal expenses” and falsifying financial records is a misdemeanor in NY. If the DA wants to charge Trump with a felony, he’ll have to prove that Trump falsified those records with “intent to defraud,” and hide a second crime. That second crime could be a federal campaign finance violation. The challenge? In 2011, former presidential candidate John Edwards was charged in 6-count-indictment for similar campaign finance violations connected to payments to his mistress, Reille Hunter. Edwards was not convicted. This is one of the reasons you see both Republicans and Democrats particularly worked up over this inquiry. (For fun I asked ChatGPT to compare the Edwards’ charged to the charges Trump could face. You can read its answer here. I checked — the info is solid.) Status: Waiting on Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg.
DOJ Special Counsel Inquiry: This is the big one. Jack Smith, the special counsel appointed by the Attorney General, is conducting two criminal investigations. First, Trump’s role in holding classified documents at Mar-a-Lago; I’ll come back to that. Second, whether Trump and his aides illegally worked to overturn the 2020 election. This includes any Trump involvement in plans to advance false electors, drive the mob that attacked the Capitol, and deter certification of the vote including by pressuring Vice President Mike Pence. A federal judge ruled that Trump’s top aides including Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, Stephen Miller and others must testify before the grand jury. Status: Grand jury still hearing from witnesses.
Going back to the documents case, this has taken a turn that does not bode well for Trump. Rewind: In June of 2022, after the federal government asked Trump to return everything, his lawyers handed over 38 classified documents and legally certified that Trump had returned all classified documents in his possession. Two months later, the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago and found more than 100 additional classified documents. Fast forward: the Department of Justice asked a judge to force Trump’s lawyer to testify before the grand jury – because the DOJ believes the lawyer was used to advance a crime. Translation? They think Trump lied to his lawyers so the lawyers would lie to the FBI. Two federal courts found enough evidence to this effect that they agreed to “pierce” lawyer client privilege. Trump’s attorney testified before the grand jury and was required to hand over materials related to his work with Trump. If this is proven, that’s obstruction and it’s a felony. You remember that saying “the cover up is worse than the crime”? Status: Grand jury is still hearing from witnesses.
Reactions, Blowback, and Other Headlines:
Trump’s Fundraising Boon: A little more than a week ago Trump claimed on Truth Social that he was soon to be arrested by the Manhattan DA and called for protests. He wrote: “IT’S TIME!!! WE JUST CAN’T ALLOW THIS ANYMORE. THEY’RE KILLING OUR NATION AS WE SIT BACK & WATCH. WE MUST SAVE AMERICA! PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST!!!” That didn’t happen and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs said that intimidation wouldn’t deter the judicial process. Trump’s campaign ended up raising over $1.5 million from supporters in the three days after he posted this, nearly double his typical daily average. See how that works?
Partisan Divide: A majority of Americans think the investigations are “fair” but 4 out of 5 Republicans think they’re a witch hunt.
Significant Risk? The Judge in the E. Jean Carroll case wrote that Trump’s call for people to and “take our nation back” “has been perceived by some as incitement to violence.” Expressing his concern that the jury will be at “significant risk,” he ordered that jurors in his case remain anonymous.
Waco Rally: At a rally in Waco, Texas this weekend – billed as his first of the campaign cycle – Trump pushed a distinctly anti-government message. Trump chose a site just 17 miles away from the Branch Davidian Compound where 30 years earlier a standoff between federal agents and members of a religious sect ended in deadly violence. The event is used by some to validate anti-government views. (Campaign officials insisted the choice of location was just a coincidence.) Trump began the rally by playing “Justice For All,” a version of the National Anthem sung by Jan. 6 insurrectionists. He then ranted about the “rigged” 2020 election and proclaimed “I am your retribution” to supporters with MAGA hats and “witch hunt” signs. How long till there’s merch?
Silicon Valley Bank: Since we spent a lot of time on SVB’s collapse I’m ending with a quick update. Over the weekend the FDIC sold a large part of SVB to First Citizens Bank & Trust Company, a sizable national institution. They will take over loans and deposits so those who banked at SVB will soon go to FCB branches. Interesting note: the statement says the FDIC has a stake in the bank for $500 million. And the FDIC lost roughly $20 billion on SVB’s collapse.
Bank Failures in US History: According to USA Facts, a News Not Noise content partner, the US had over 3,500 bank failures from 1934 – 2020. There were no failures in 2021 and 2022.
More than half of all bank failures since 1934 took place during the banking crises of the 1980s and 1990s.
The Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 to 1941, was the nation’s first period of bank failures. At least 370 banks collapsed.
In 1989, 531 banks failed — the most in a single year.
USA Facts is a nonpartisan nonprofit civic organization dedicated to making government data accessible. You can find more here.
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I struggle with Trump and often avoid news about him. But the way you present the info is not alarmist, factual, and clear, and I truly appreciate it. I hope you get less grief than you think, because you deserve appreciation more than anything ❤️
I'm a lifelong (70+) conservative with a very jaded opinion of journalism. You, young lady, give me hope. Please, please continue to write the way that you do as often as you can.