When Judge #AileenCannon presides over a hearing on Fri in #Trump’s #ClassifiedDocuments case, she will spend the day considering well-trod arguments about an arcane #legal issue in an unorthodox manner.
The issue that will be discussed…is a motion by the defense to dismiss the charges…on the grounds that #SpecialCounsel#JackSmith was improperly funded & appointed.
Judges have also tossed efforts to invalidate the work of special counsels like Robert #Mueller, who examined connections between #Russia & #Trump’s 2016 campaign, & David C. Weiss, who has brought 2 #criminal cases against Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son.
Despite this record, however, Judge #AileenCannon has decided to consider the constitutionality of #JackSmith’s appointment anew —& not on the merits of written briefs, but rather at an expansive hearing that will spill across 2 days.
#Trump has his posse again. Today it’s more #Republican elected officials. Today, Trump will be joined by the #House speaker, #MikeJohnson, as well as #NorthDakota’s governor, #DougBurgum, a contender to be Trump's running mate. Also present will be Representatives #ByronDonalds & #CoryMills of Florida, & #VivekRamaswamy, who was one of Trump's primary rivals this year. Both Donalds & Ramaswamy are longshot hopefuls to be Trump's running mate.
These same tweets were among the potential instances of #obstruction of #justice that were reviewed by Robert #Mueller, the special counsel who at the time was investigating the #Trump campaign’s possible ties to #Russia.
At this point in the narrative in 2018, #MichaelCohen was looking for reassurance that Trump was going to take care of him. He would soon lose that sense of security, as the #TrumpOrganization stopped paying some of Cohen’s #legal bills.
#MichaelCohen’s testimony at the Congressional hearing is certain to come up during cross-examination, including his assertion that he didn’t want a job in the WH.
Cohen is now discussing his meetings w/ Robert #Mueller, the special counsel investigating the #Trump campaign's ties to #Russia.
@makkhorn
When #TheOrangeMenace was first impeached, the OLC ("Office of Legal Council") claimed sitting presidents can't be prosecuted.
#Mueller said that if that's the case, then he "absolutely can be prosecuted upon leaving office". Presumably, it was the only check left to stop a #Potus from breaking the law while in office.
NOW, his lawyers are trying to argue he can't be prosecuted AFTER leaving office either for things he did while potus. 😒 #NoOneIsAboveTheLaw
The insane wails of people lying about Merrick Garland are getting more and more ridiculous. Sidney Powell investigation overt in 9/21. By 1/19/22, DOJ had Rudy's Jan6 comms. There were overt subpoenas targeting Trump by May. Privilege fights WITH TRUMP started in 6/22.
Jonathan Greenberg:
The only reason that SCOTUS’ evil immunity delay strategy will prevent Trump's Jan6 coup trial & conviction before election is that AG blocked his prosecution for 20 mos…
@GottaLaff@emptywheel
When #TheOrangeMenace was first impeached, the OLC ("Office of Legal Council") claimed sitting presidents can't be prosecuted.
#Mueller said that if that's the case, then he "absolutely can be prosecuted upon leaving office". Presumably, it was the only check left to stop a #Potus from breaking the law while in office.
NOW, his lawyers are trying to argue he can't be prosecuted AFTER leaving office either for things he did while potus. 😒 #NoOneIsAboveTheLaw
#Trump may enlist #PaulManafort
…While no formal decision has been made, 4 people described the hiring as expected & said Trump was determined to bring #Manafort back into the fold.
Manafort worked for Trump in 2016 before being ousted & later #convicted of tax & bank #fraud#felonies as part of Robert #Mueller’s investigation into #Russia’s 2016 #ElectionInterference. He served time in #prison before receiving a #pardon in the final days of Trump’s presidency.
“Attorney General #Garland did not interfere w/my efforts, & I was able to conduct a fair, thorough & independent investigation,” #Hur said. #Neguse was attempting to draw a distinction between how Garland acted in regard to the Hur investigation & how AG #BillBarr acted when special counsel Robert #Mueller completed his investigation & report examining #Trump & #ForeignInterference in the 2016 #election results.
#Barr wrote a 4-pg memo to #Congress describing the principal conclusions of the investigation into #Trump that #Mueller later complained “did not fully capture the context, nature, & substance” of the special counsel team’s work.
“Very different approach as you said from the way in which the Department of #Justice, unfortunately, tragically functioned under [Trump],” #Neguse said.
#Hur, the special counsel, who is appearing …at the request of… #JimJordan, has arranged to resign from the #DOJ …one day before he is scheduled to appear….