DBP66

Biden has nothing to do with NY state criminal charges....you clowns are barking up the wrong tree....🙄

LOL...wow...."best possible outcome"???...BEING FOUND GULITY?!?!....come on....how about some common sense??.....🙄 he's a martyr now??....LOL...no....he's a Felon now.....who can't vote for himself....😉

Donald Trump Gets Worrying Sign From New Poll After Guilty Verdict Published May 31, 2024 at 10:02 AM EDT Updated May 31, 2024 at 10:19 AM EDT 12 Anew poll delivered a worrying sign to former President Donald Trump after he received a guilty verdict in his hush-money trial. On May 30, a jury found Trump guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with an alleged hush-money payment made to the adult film actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who prosecuted the case, accused Trump of making the payment to prevent Daniels from speaking publicly about an affair she said she had with Trump. The former president pleaded not guilty to all the charges and denied the affair. After the verdict, Trump called the trial a "disgrace" and "rigged." YouGov conducted a "snap poll" hours after the verdict announcement to gauge whether Americans agreed with the jury's decision. The poll asked, "Donald Trump was recently convicted of 34 charges, including for falsifying business records to reimburse his lawyer for payments made to an adult film actress. Do you agree with the jury that he is guilty of these charges?" Of the 3,040 U.S. adults surveyed, 50 percent said they believed Trump was guilty, while 30 percent said they believed he was not guilty. Another 19 percent said they were not sure. Polls also indicated that a guilty verdict could change the dynamic of the presidential race. Although Trump has maintained a lead over President Joe Biden, several surveys found that some Trump voters said they would not support him if he were found guilty of a crime. Political analysts told Newsweek the verdict could make it more difficult for independent voters to support Trump in November. A plurality of Americans, 47 percent, also believed Trump received a fair trial, the YouGov poll found. The poll found that 37 percent of Americans said he did not receive a fair trial. Trump has accused Judge Juan Merchan of being biased against him and has argued that he could not receive a fair trial in Manhattan because of the borough's staunch Democratic lean. "Damning" Following the verdict, Trump told reporters: "The real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people. And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here. You have a Soros-backed DA and the whole thing. We didn't do a thing wrong. I'm a very innocent man. And it's OK, I'm fighting for our country. I'm fighting for our Constitution. Our whole country is being rigged right now." In a news conference after the verdict, Bragg praised the jury for its service throughout the trial.

you need to be holding your breath.....you're the one banking on 3 appeals....not me...good luck!!....😉

LOL..."lawfare"....Trump and his clown squad are blaming Biden and the DOJ for a NY jury finding him guilty of 34 crimes?!?....it's just silly.....you do the CRIME you pay the TIME says Barretta.....😉

sure they will....he's 0-3 in N.Y...his middle name is now "Appeal"....😉

LOL...so did we "get em' " yet??.....GULITY of ALL 34 charges....he's 0-3 in NY....he lost the case about devaluing his NY properties....he was convicted of being a rapist and now he's a convicted of election interference in N.Y...thank God for N.Y...😉

No one is above the law....this is a great day in American history!....the wheels of justice just ran the lying POS over...😉 Trump found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records. Here's a breakdown. Chanelle Chandler and David Knowles Updated Thu, May 30, 2024 at 5:13 PM EDT·15 min read 5.7k Former President Donald Trump gestures while returning from a break at Manhattan Criminal Court, Tuesday, May 28, 2024, in New York. (Julia Nikhinson/Pool via AP) (AP) A New York jury unanimously found Donald Trump guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, a stunning conclusion to the historic trial of the former president. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had brought charges against Trump stemming from his $130,000 payment during the 2016 presidential campaign to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. That payment, Daniels testified, was intended to buy her silence, and prosecutors argued that Trump sought to hide it from voters. During the trial, Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, testified that he paid Daniels on behalf of Trump and that he worked out a reimbursement arrangement with the Trump Organization. With no legal retainer agreement in place, Cohen said he submitted monthly $35,000 invoices for expenses totaling $420,000, which included the $130,000 payment to Daniels. These invoices, checks and other financial documents were among the evidence that prosecutors claim proved Trump had falsified business records in order to cover up the hush money payment. Below are the 34 counts, as listed by the DA’s office, and the jury's verdict on each one. Count 1 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated February 14, 2017, marked as a record of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 2 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, bearing voucher number 842457, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 3 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, bearing voucher number 842460, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 4 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust Account check and check stub dated February 14, 2017, bearing check number 000138, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 5 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about March 16, 2017 through March 17, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated February 16, 2017 and transmitted on or about March 16, 2017, marked as a record of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 6 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about March 17, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, bearing voucher number 846907, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 7 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about March 17, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust Account check and check stub dated March 17, 2017, bearing check number 000147, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 8 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about April 13, 2017 through June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated April 13, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 9 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 858770, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 10 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated June 19, 2017, bearing check number 002740, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 11 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about May 22, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated May 22, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 12 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about May 22, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 855331, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 13 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about May 23, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated May 23, 2017, bearing check number 002700, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 14 (falsifying business records in the first degree): “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about June 16, 2017 through June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated June 16, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 15 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 858772, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 16 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about June 19, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated June 19, 2017, bearing check number 002741, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 17 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about July 11, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated July 11, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 18 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about July 11, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 861096, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 19 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about July 11, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated July 11, 2017, bearing check number 002781, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 20 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about August 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated August 1, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 21 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about August 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 863641, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 22 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about August 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated August 1, 2017, bearing check number 002821, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 23 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about September 11, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated September 11, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 24 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about September 11, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 868174, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 25 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about September 12, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated September 12, 2017, bearing check number 002908, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 26 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about October 18, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated October 18, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 27 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about October 18, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 872654, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 28 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about October 18, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated October 18, 2017, bearing check number 002944, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 29 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about November 20, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated November 20, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 30 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about November 20, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 876511, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 31 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about November 21, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated November 21, 2017, bearing check number 002980, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 32 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about December 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated December 1, 2017, marked as a record of Donald J. Trump, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 33 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about December 1, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an entry in the Detail General Ledger for Donald J. Trump, bearing voucher number 877785, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.” Count 34 (falsifying business records in the first degree): Guilty “The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about December 5, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, a Donald J. Trump account check and check stub dated December 5, 2017, bearing check number 003006, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.”

Trump is going around telling another whopper of a lie for his cult to eat up.. the FBI was “locked & loaded and ready to take me out”?!?!?....LOL...what f*in LIAR!!.....🙄 Tim Scott deflects when asked about Trump’s claim he ‘nearly escaped death’ in FBI raid Nick Robertson Sun, May 26, 2024 at 3:24 PM EDT·2 min read 2.9k Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) dodged a question Sunday over former President Trump’s false claims that he was in mortal danger when the FBI raided his Florida home last year, as the South Carolina Republican hopes to join the former president on his November election ticket. Trump said last week that the FBI was “locked & loaded and ready to take me out” when agents searched his Mar-a-Lago estate for missing classified documents, remarks that were met with quick pushback from the Department of Justice and criticism from Democrats. Scott didn’t address the language Sunday when asked by CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.” Bash noted that President Biden faced a similar search for classified documents. “I saw the video of the SWAT team from the FBI raiding Mar-a-Lago. I have not seen the same video of them raiding Joe Biden’s garage, so I’d love to have that comparison,” Scott said. “But more importantly, once again, we find ourselves reinforcing this two-tiered justice system — where we see a different standard for Republicans and specifically a different standard for Donald Trump.” Attorney General Merrick Garland called Trump’s comments last week “extremely dangerous,” adding that Trump was describing standard FBI policy for searches. Bash pushed Scott for an answer, pointing out comments from former Trump adviser Steve Bannon calling the search an “assassination attempt.” Scott again dodged. “Watching the treatment of Joe Biden by the justice system, when they have found him unable to stand before a jury of his peers because he’s too old, frankly, and his memory is shot, that is not the kind of simple, fair justice system that Americans expect,” Scott said. “So it is very difficult to see this justice system currently playing out where it is [unfair] to both Donald Trump and Republicans, as we’ve seen the kid gloves and the insulation around Joe Biden and his family,” he continued. “We all want fairness without any question, especially when Lady Justice should wear a blindfold. But we don’t see that playing out, Dana.” While Republicans, led by Trump, commonly claim that the Department of Justice treats Democrats differently, a pair of Democratic congresspeople — Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) — are under federal indictment. Scott is considered to be a finalist to be Trump’s vice-presidential candidate. A former primary rival of Trump, Scott has turned into one of his loudest advocates in the media, making near-weekly appearances on Sunday shows to defend the former president.

LOL...with all that's been going on??....the jury has his future in their hands right now....he's shitting a brick....it's not good to be Donny these days....or a brain-washed cult member....😉

don't tell me it was cherry red.....my neighbor had one as a kid...I loved that car...😉

and he was a cop??....he should have gotten more prison time...what a POS clown....🙄 Appeals court upholds retired NYPD officer's 10-year prison sentence for Capitol riot attack Associated Press Tue, May 28, 2024 at 12:47 PM EDT·2 min read 93 1 / 3 Capitol Riot Retired Officer FILE- This still frame from Metropolitan Police Department body worn camera video shows Thomas Webster, in red jacket, at a barricade line at on the west front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. A federal appeals court has upheld a retired New York Police Department officer’s conviction and 10-year prison sentence for assaulting a police officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, siege at the U.S. Capitol. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday rejected Thomas Webster’s claims that he was convicted by a biased jury. (Metropolitan Police Department via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS More WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld a retired New York Police Department officer's conviction and 10-year prison sentence for assaulting a police officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, siege at the U.S. Capitol. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected Thomas Webster’s claims that he was convicted by a biased jury. Webster, a 20-year NYPD veteran, argued that the entire jury pool in Washington, D.C., was “presumptively prejudiced” against him. But the panel found no evidence that the jury pool had any preconceived notions about Webster, “or even knew who he was.” Jurors rejected Webster’s claim that he was defending himself when he tackled Metropolitan Police Department officer Noah Rathbun and grabbed his gas mask. They convicted Webster of all six counts in his indictment, including a charge that he assaulted Rathbun with a dangerous weapon, a flagpole. Webster drove to Washington from his home near Goshen, New York, to attend then-President Donald Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6. Webster was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a Marine Corps flag on a metal pole when he joined the mob that stormed the Capitol. Trump nominated two of the three judges who decided Webster’s appeal. The appellate court panel said Webster hadn't shown that the jury pool in Washington was “structurally incapable” of producing fair juries for Capitol riot defendants. "Webster asserts that the District overwhelmingly voted for President (Joe) Biden and historically votes for Democratic candidates," the ruling says. “That may be. But the political inclinations of a populace writ large say nothing about an individual’s ability to serve impartially in adjudicating the criminal conduct of an individual.” Webster's 10-year prison sentence is one of the longest among hundreds of Capitol riot cases. He was the first Jan. 6 defendant to be tried on an assault charge and the first to present a self-defense argument. Over 850 people have been sentenced for Capitol riot convictions. Only 10 of them have received a longer prison sentence than Webster, according to an Associated Press review of court records. The panel rejected his argument that the length of his sentence was “substantively unreasonable” compared to other Capitol riot defendants.

Trump sells off $10m jet to major megadonor as he owes millions in legal fees and judgements Martha McHardy Tue, May 28, 2024 at 7:52 AM EDT·3 min read 697 Donald Trump has sold off one of his private jets to a Republican megadonor as he owes more than half a billion dollars in legal judgements and fees. Federal Aviation Administration records show that the registration of the plane, a 1997 Cessna jet, was transferred from the Trump Organization’s DT Air Corp to a Texas entity called MM Fleet Holdings LLC on 13 May, The Daily Beast first reported. The plane is thought to be worth somewhere in the region of $10m, according to evoJets. MM Fleet Holdings LLC is tied to Iranian-American construction and development tycoon, Mehrdad Moayedi, who lives near Dallas and runs Centurion American Custom Homes, according to state records. Mr Moayedi has been a major Republican donor for some time, giving a combined $245,000 to Trump Victory – a committee that raised money for the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee, and state Republican parties – in 2019 and 2020. He has also given hundreds of thousands of dollars to other Republican candidates and committees, including the RNC, Senator Ted Cruz, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, as well as Arizona independent Kyrsten Sinema, who he made a maximum primary donation of $2,900 to in 2022. Mr Trump previously boasted about his Cessna private jet on the Trump Aviation website, writing that the aircraft is a “very special feature within the Trump Aviation fleet.” Former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Getty Images) “This high speed jet is often referred to as a ‘rocket in the sky,’ flying at speeds up to Mach .92 and altitudes as high as 51,000 feet. It is one of the fastest in the world and allows for entry into smaller airports,” the site claimed, adding that the jet is outfitted with “top of the line interiors” that can comfortably seat nine passengers, and that “the signature Trump Crest” on the exterior bestows “an even higher level of luxury and beauty to this magnificent aircraft.” The sale comes at a time when the former president’s finances are taking a hit from a string of civil and criminal cases, as he campaigns to take back the White House in November. In January, a New York judge ordered Mr Trump to pay writer E Jean Carroll $83.3m after he was found liable for defaming her. The former president posted a $91.6m bond in March to appeal the ruling. He was required to put up 110 per cent of the judgment to pause collections while the appeal plays out. Meanwhile, in February, he was found liable for financial fraud in New York and was ordered to pay more than $350m in penalties. Following the ruling, the former president struggled to find financial backers to help him post the bond needed to appeal the decision. But he finally received a lifeline when a New York appeals court reduced the bond to $175m – a sum that he then posted thanks to underwriter Hankey’s Knight Specialty Insurance Co. Donald Trump’s Boeing 757 pictured at Palm Beach International Airport in March (Getty Images) Mr Trump is also spending millions of dollars on legal fees in his string of criminal and civil cases, with FEC data from 2022 showing that he had devoted $76.7m to legal fees in the space of two years. His legal bills could continue to mount if he is convicted in his hush money trial in New York. While Forbes estimated Mr Trump’s net worth at $2.6bn in September 2023, the pile-up of legal judgements poses substantial risk to his bottom line. Forbes estimate is based on the value of various assets in Mr Trump’s portfolio: golf clubs and resorts ($870m), New York City real estate ($690m), cash and personal assets ($640m), non-NYC real estate ($190m) and social media and brand businesses ($160m). But of that $2.6bn total, Forbes calculates that Mr Trump has only $426m in cash and liquid assets with which he would be able to pay off his legal obligations.

Courting Black Voters, Trump Turns to Rappers Accused in Gang Murder Plot Michael Gold and Joe Coscarelli Sat, May 25, 2024 at 10:10 AM EDT·6 min read 2.7k The rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow join former President Donald Trump onstage at a campaign rally in the Bronx on Thursday, May 23, 2024. (Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times) Toward the end of a rally in the Bronx on Thursday that his campaign staged to try to bolster and highlight his support among Black and Hispanic voters, former President Donald Trump called upon two hip-hop artists who have been accused of participating in violent gang warfare fueled in part by their music. The rappers, Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow, were among several guests invited to voice their support for Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. After they did so, Trump expressed his gratitude, then complimented Sheff G’s glittering, jewel-encrusted grill. “I like those teeth. I want to find out where you did — I got to get my teeth like that,” he said. “I want that to happen to me.” But Trump — who earlier in his speech had vowed to restore the rule of law in New York City, denounced urban crime and touted his allegiance to the police — did not address the charges the two men are facing: counts of conspiracy to commit murder and weapons possession. Presidential candidates typically try to distance themselves from people accused of violent crimes. But the joint appearance, which was clipped and shared on social media by the Trump campaign and many in the hip-hop media ecosystem, was not a one-off event but rather one in a series of Trump’s blunt and sometimes clumsy overtures to court Black voters, and particularly Black men. In appealing to Black voters to break with President Joe Biden and the Democrats, Trump insists that Biden’s handling of issues such as immigration and the economy is disproportionately harming them. But he has also repeatedly trafficked in stereotypes about Black Americans. Indicted four times and standing trial on felony charges in Manhattan, the former president earlier this year told a group of Black Republicans that the criminal charges he faces were a key reason that Black people liked him. He has also suggested that his popularity among Black people rose when his Atlanta mug shot was published because they could relate to it. Earlier this year, Trump went to a sneaker-focused convention in Philadelphia hawking gold-colored, Trump-branded sneakers to a younger and more diverse crowd than is typical of his usual rallies. Stefanie Brown James, a co-founder of the Collective PAC, an organization that aims to elect Black officials, said that Trump was engaging in antiquated stereotypes, promoting the idea that a vast majority of Black people, particularly Black men, have some sort of criminal record. “We don’t hold it up in our community as a badge of honor to have gone through the court system,” she said. “And I think that he uplifts it as if it’s a badge of honor.” But all in all, Trump is having some success in his efforts to reach more diverse communities: Polls show him trending better with Black voters than any Republican presidential candidate has in decades. Democrats have also been working hard to shore up Black support. On Thursday, the Biden campaign released a new ad portraying Trump as a racist, in particular singling out how he fueled anger over the Central Park Five case decades ago. In a statement, Jasmine Harris, the Biden campaign’s director of Black media, accused Trump of being “the poster boy for modern racism.” She criticized his attempts to curry favor with Black voters as offensive and hollow, saying that “he thinks janky rap concerts, free chicken and his own mug shot are the key to winning our votes.” “President Biden knows he has to earn — not ask — for every American’s support,” she added. But attendees at the Bronx rally, who included Black and Hispanic voters, suggested Biden had much work to do. Jamaal Kennedy, 35, a Bronx rap artist, echoed Trump’s message that he had done more to help boost the economic prospects of Black people than Biden or Barack Obama, the nation’s first Black president. He added that Trump’s brashness was part of his appeal. “He’s got no filter,” Kennedy said, though he noted, “I think that’s a reason why a lot of people don’t like him.” Trump did not explain why he called to the stage Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow, whose real names are Michael Williams and Tegan Chambers. Their appearance came during a moment typical of his rallies, when he recognizes key figures in attendance. Both men are pioneers of Brooklyn’s drill rap scene, a hyperlocal, pugnacious style of modern gangster rap with a tough sound and subject matter that often centers around gun violence. Although drill music, as it’s known, has moved toward the mainstream, its rise has not always been celebrated: In 2019, Williams was removed from the lineup of a rap festival after the New York Police Department said he and other artists had “been affiliated with recent acts of violence citywide” and posed a safety risk. Last year, Williams and Chambers were among 32 people charged in a 140-count indictment accusing the men of using profits from their music to bankroll two Brooklyn gangs, the 8 Trey Crips and 9 Ways. Both men had previously served time in prison for weapons possession. Prosecutors in the case, which is ongoing, said that Williams awarded cash, contracts and cameos in his videos to those who committed acts of violence on his behalf. Sleepy Hallow was released on bail last year. In April, after 14 months awaiting trial, Sheff G was also released on bail. “They counted me out,” he wrote in capital letters on Instagram. “They thought I was done.” Asked whether Trump was aware of the charges against both rappers and how he viewed them in light of his tough-on-crime stance, a spokesperson, Steven Cheung, pointed to the comments Williams made from the stage. “They’re always going to whisper your accomplishments and shout your failures,” Williams said. “Trump will shout the wins for all of us.” Representatives for both rappers declined to comment. Trump’s association with hip-hop stars dates back to the 1990s, when he was frequently seen at New York clubs with rap impresarios and his name was used frequently in lyrics as shorthand for financial success. As president, Trump deepened those relationships, appearing alongside Kanye West and including hip-hop figures among his final batch of pardons and commutations, including for rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, who faced charges related to guns. Still, Trump’s appearance with two men accused of ordering gang murders exemplified a fundamental tension that has characterized his campaign. Even as he faces criminal charges, Trump frequently calls for tougher policing that he says could crack down on murders and assault. On Thursday, he again vowed to protect police officers from lawsuits so they could be more aggressive in tackling crime. Trump has framed that protection — which already largely exists — as a boon to communities of color. “Remember, Black, Hispanic, Asian people need this protection and safety more than anyone else,” he said. But while the optics and the message may have seemed incongruous, the appearance of the rappers was not that unusual for Trump, who has shown no qualms about appearing alongside others accused of crimes, including many political allies. He has embraced those being prosecuted for their roles in storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. And earlier this week, those joining him in court in Manhattan included Chuck Zito, a former leader of the New York chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, who spent years in prison on drug charges.

This is sickening.... Dozens of House Democrats urge Alito to recuse himself from Jan. 6 cases Sarah Fortinsky Tue, May 21, 2024 at 2:39 PM EDT·2 min read 1.5k A group of House Democrats on Tuesday called on Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to recuse himself from all future cases related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol or the 2020 presidential election. In a letter addressed to the conservative justice, 45 Democrats pointed to recent New York Times reporting of a photograph taken less than two weeks after the Capitol attack in 2021 — that showed an upside-down American flag on display outside Alito’s home. At the time, this symbol was closely associated with the “Stop the Steal” movement, which tried to prevent the transfer of presidential power based on false claims of election fraud. Alito has said he had nothing to do with the upside-down flag and that his wife hung it amid a spat with neighbors. “Your own public statement attempts to pass responsibility to your wife, but you nonetheless acknowledge that it was a political statement in support of Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election,” they wrote in the letter. “Even if you had ‘no involvement’ in the display yourself, the fact of such a political statement at your home creates, at minimum, the appearance of improper political bias,” they added. The letter, led by Reps. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), specifically calls for Alito to recuse himself from the upcoming decision involving whether former President Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for his actions related to the 2020 election and another decision related to the Jan. 6 rioters. It also follows a previous request from Democrats for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from Jan. 6-related cases because of his wife’s involvement in the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential results. He has refused to do so. “Sadly, you are now the second justice who has demonstrated at least an appearance of a conflict of interest related to the events surrounding the January 6 insurrection,” the members wrote. They added that Thomas’s wife, Ginni Thomas, attended the Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” rally and was “actively strategizing” with Trump allies about how to overturn the election results, which the Democrats said is “precisely the same underlying conduct” in both of the upcoming cases. “Although Justice Thomas seemingly acknowledged this conflict of interest by recusing himself from the Court’s case related to Trump attorney John Eastman, he has shockingly refused to recuse himself from Trump and Fischer,” they added. The Hill has reached out to the Supreme Court for a response to the letter. News that the flag hung outside Alito’s home in the days surrounding the Jan. 6 attack has spurred mounting criticism among Senate Democrats, who have similarly called on Alito to recuse himself from the upcoming cases.