Politics
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Trump paid hush money to porn star to protect brand, lawyer says
NEW YORK — Prosecutors launched the hush money trial of Donald Trump by revealing new details Monday about how they seek to prove the former president corrupted the 2016 election to bury a sex scandal, while a defense lawyer countered the payment was meant only to protect his reputation.
The trial in lower Manhattan, the first of a former ...Read more
Biden to speak at Morehouse College commencement
ATLANTA — President Joe Biden will deliver the commencement address at Morehouse College’s May 19 graduation ceremony, according to three officials with direct knowledge of the decision.
His remarks in Atlanta come as Biden has been trying to shore up his appeal to young Black voters ahead of a rematch against former President Donald Trump ...Read more
Opening statements completed at Trump's NYC hush money trial
NEW YORK — Donald Trump schemed to defraud the 2016 electorate and covered up the plot by lying “over and over and over again” once he won the White House, prosecutors charged Monday during opening statements at the former president’s hush money trial.
The ruse central to the first-ever criminal case against an ex-U.S. president started...Read more
Fulton County DA Fani Willis to skip campaign debate
ATLANTA — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has declined an invitation from the Atlanta Press Club to debate her Democratic opponent as she seeks a second term.
The debate had been scheduled for Monday, April 29.
Willis, who is leading Fulton County’s sweeping election interference case against former President Donald Trump and ...Read more
In California's 16th District, Joe Simitian leads Evan Low by one vote in preliminary recount results
SAN JOSE, Calif. — With the recount for California’s Congressional District 16 race in full swing, preliminary results show Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian leading Assemblyman Evan Low by one vote.
On April 15, a machine recount of the 182,135 votes cast in the March primary race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo began in ...Read more
Opening statements are the most important part of a trial – as lawyers in Trump’s hush money case know well
Though Hollywood movies about courtroom dramas often glamorize the closing arguments given by lawyers, in reality the opening statement is likely the most important single event of a trial.
Such was the case in the hush money trial involving former President Donald Trump and alleged payments to porn star Stormy Daniels when lawyers ...Read more
Supreme Court divided on homelessness case that will impact California encampment policy
WASHINGTON — Supreme Court justices sounded sharply split Monday over whether to give cities in the West more authority to restrict homeless encampments on sidewalks and other public property.
The court’s three liberals said they were wary of giving cities a broad and unchecked power to use arrests and fines to punish homeless people who ...Read more
Federal judge finds 'strong evidence' prosecutors for California's Alameda County deliberately kept Black and Jewish people off juries
SAN JOSE, Calif. — In a ruling that calls into question numerous death penalty convictions in Alameda County, a federal judge found “strong evidence” that prosecutors there made a conscious effort to keep people off of juries based on their race and religion.
A Monday order by U.S. District Judge Vincent Chhabria suggests evidence of this...Read more
Trump hush money trial transcripts to be made public
NEW YORK — New York Courts will be posting the transcripts of Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial.
Each day’s transcripts will be posted online and publicly available before the end of the following business day, “to ensure broad and continuous public access to this extraordinarily high-profile case,” according to a release.
...Read more
Trump on trial: Why jury selection should take longer in Georgia
ATLANTA — The speed with which a jury was seated in the New York prosecution of Donald Trump likely won’t be matched in his yet-to-be-scheduled criminal trial in Fulton County, legal experts say.
Over just five days, a dozen jurors and six alternates were selected in Manhattan, where the former president faces 34 felony charges, accused of ...Read more
Supreme Court airs concerns over Oregon city's homelessness law
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appeared hesitant Monday to draw sharp lines about when local governments that criminalize public camping infringe on the constitutional rights of people experiencing homelessness.
Across more than two hours of oral arguments, a majority of the conservative-controlled court repeatedly asked the parties about how...Read more
Fulton County election interference case against Georgia state senator resumes
ATLANTA — After a nearly three-month break, the election interference case is back on track against the lone sitting elected official charged by Georgia prosecutors.
State Sen. Shawn Still’s case was placed on hold during the Georgia General Assembly’s 2024 session. With the session over, the Norcross Republican filed a slew of court ...Read more
Trump reaches compromise on $175M bond in NY AG Tish James fraud case
NEW YORK — Lawyers for Donald Trump and New York Attorney General Letitia James have hashed out a compromise on the $175 million bond in the former president’s civil fraud case.
James’ office last week sought to void the bond, posted by Knight Specialty Insurance Company, questioning whether Trump would improperly still have control of ...Read more
Georgia GOP spends more than $1.7 million in legal fees linked to Trump court fight
ATLANTA — The Georgia GOP has spent more than $1.7 million on legal fees since 2022 after promising to help cover the tab for the party’s former chairman and other officials targeted in Fulton County’s election interference case.
The state party tallied $237,000 in legal fees in March atop more than $1.5 million in previous courtroom ...Read more
Supreme Court divided on homelessness case that will impact California encampment policy
WASHINGTON — Supreme Court justices sounded deeply divided Monday over whether to give cities in the West more authority to restrict homeless encampments on sidewalks and other public property.
The court's three liberals said they were wary of giving cities a broad and unchecked power to use arrests and fines to punish homeless people who are...Read more
Opening statements completed at Trump's NYC hush money trial
NEW YORK — Donald Trump returned Monday to the Manhattan criminal courthouse on Monday, where his historic hush money trial proceeded with opening statements and the prosecution’s first witness.
The former president had a difficult first week in court as jury selection got underway. He apparently fell asleep at the defense table, was forced...Read more
Trump's immunity argument could scuttle or delay Georgia case
The Supreme Court Thursday will hear arguments on whether Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for actions he took while president, and its decision could sink or delay some of the criminal cases against him, including Georgia’s.
Trump will argue he cannot be prosecuted for crimes he allegedly committed while in office, including his ...Read more
Supreme Court to decide if government can regulate 'ghost guns'
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court will decide whether the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives can regulate so-called “ghost gun” kits that can be assembled into a working firearm.
The Biden administration asked the justices to overturn a lower court decision that tossed out a rule meant to curb the kits, which allow a buyer ...Read more
Editorial: Let all read the Trump transcripts: Justice Juan Merchan must order them published daily
Shortly after Acting Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan gaveled out the final day of jury selection for the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump on Friday afternoon, the New York County Criminal Court Electronic Document Delivery System sent an email notification of receipt at 5:22 to lawyer Jim Walden that his application had ...Read more
Opening statements expected at Trump's NYC hush-money trial
NEW YORK — Donald Trump is expected to return to the Manhattan criminal courthouse on Monday, where his historic hush money trial is slated to proceed in earnest with opening statements.
The former president had a difficult first week in court as jury selection got underway. He apparently fell asleep at the defense table, was forced to ...Read more
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