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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), the prosecutor linked to billionaire George Soros who is currently prosecuting former President Donald Trump on 34 felony counts, has offered plea deals to six of the nine migrants accused of attacking two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers in January.
The post Alvin Bragg Offers Plea Deals to Migrants Accused of Attacking NYC Cops as He Prosecutes Trump appeared first on Breitbart.
More than 2,500 prestigious pooches competed in 2024's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, with only one competitor taking home the gold.
The post Miniature Poodle ‘Sage’ Wins ‘Best in Show’ at Westminster Kennel Club Competition appeared first on Breitbart.
Families racked up credit card debt and went into delinquencies at an increased rate since the pandemic, the New York Fed found Tuesday.
The post New York Fed: Credit Card Delinquency Spikes as Costs Soar Under Joe Biden appeared first on Breitbart.
Stormy Daniels' husband and adult film actor Barrett Blade said Tuesday on CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront" that if former President Donald Trump is found not guilty, they will likely leave the United States.
The post Stormy Daniels’ Husband Barrett Blade: Likely We Will Leave the U.S. If Trump Acquitted appeared first on Breitbart.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) is floating the idea of having newly arrived migrants become lifeguards for the city's public pools, declaring them "excellent swimmers."
The post Watch: Mayor Eric Adams Floats Giving NYC Lifeguard Jobs to Migrants Because They’re ‘Excellent Swimmers’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) said Tuesday on Fox News Channel's "The Story" that former President Donald Trump's New York City business record trial is "bogus," and he went Monday to "support a friend."
The post J.D. Vance: Trump’s NYC Trial Is a ‘Bogus’ Sham, I Was There to Support a Friend appeared first on Breitbart.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in New York on Tuesday, condemned the so-called hush-money criminal trial of former President Donald Trump.
Johnson blasted the trial as a “sham” and said that it’s being used to manipulate the 2024 presidential election.
I’m disgusted by what’s happening in the sham trial against President Trump.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) May 14, 2024
The American people can see it’s politically motivated.
Their star witness, Michael Cohen, is a known liar who is clearly on a mission for personal revenge. pic.twitter.com/dub4dyu91s
“I’m an attorney. I’m a former litigator myself. I’m disgusted by what is happening here,” the Louisiana lawmaker said. “What is being done here is being done to our entire system of justice overall.”
Johnson said the American people are “losing faith” in the U.S. justice system and our institutions because they see them being “abused.”
The House speaker said the facts in Trump’s case are important, as they always are in a trial. The former president’s actions were “previously reviewed, and no charges were filed. Why is that?” Johnson asked rhetorically.
“Because there’s no crime here,” he said, answering his own question.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg started up this case eight years after the crime was allegedly committed, Johnson said, because “it’s painfully obvious, we’re six months out from an election day, and that’s the reason they brought these charges here and across the country.”
Johnson noted that the legal officials in this case are all partisan Democrats.
“What we’ve got here is a partisan Democrat district attorney. We have a [President Joe] Biden donor judge, and we have an [assistant district attorney] who was recently a top official at the Department of Justice, Biden’s DOJ, and recently received over $10,000 in payments from the Democratic National Committee,” he said.
Bragg, who brought the charges against Trump, also is a Democrat.
Johnson said the “star witness” in the Trump trial, former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, is simply out for retribution.
Cohen is “clearly on a mission for personal revenge,” the Louisiana Republican said, adding that Cohen is known to be a witness who “has had trouble with the truth.”
Cohen admitted to lying to Congress in 2017, which was among the crimes that led to his disbarment.
“There’s nothing he presents here that should be given any weight at all by a jury and certainly not by this judge,” Johnson said.
The charge against Trump is falsification of business records, he said, “but I think everyone knows that he is not the bookkeeper of his company.”
The House speaker said Trump is “innocent” in the case and that “anyone with common sense can see what’s happening here.”
On top of everything else, Johnson said, the court has issued a gag order against Trump, which deprives the former president of his right to free speech during an election campaign. The whole trial represents a clear case where the judicial system has been weaponized against Trump, he said, and is punishing one presidential nominee while providing “cover” for another.
“The American people are not going to let this stand,” Johnson said. “Election Day cannot get here soon enough, and we will continue to shine a light on all of this in Congress because we have that constitutional responsibility.”
The post ‘SHAM’: House Speaker Johnson Condemns Trial of Trump as ‘Politically Motivated’ appeared first on The Daily Signal.
NFL QB Aaron Rodgers is calling attention to reports that the U.S. government confiscated Pat Tillman's personal journals after his death.
The post WATCH: Aaron Rodgers Tells Tucker Carlson That U.S. Gov’t ‘Confiscated’ Pat Tillman’s Journal After Death in Iraq appeared first on Breitbart.
New York City Councilwoman Shahana Hanif is suggesting that taxpayers pony up for permanent housing for immigrants.
The post New York City Councilwoman Blasts Mayor Eric Adams, Demands Permanent Housing for Immigrants appeared first on Breitbart.
Pro-Palestinian Columbia graduates wore keffiyehs, zip-tie handcuffs, and caps sporting the name of Hamas terrorists at their ceremony.
The post Pro-Palestinian Columbia Graduates Tear Diplomas, Show Support for Hamas at Ceremony appeared first on Breitbart.
Former President Donald Trump will remain gagged during his criminal trial in Manhattan, a New York appeals court ruled Tuesday.
The post Court Rules Against Donald Trump’s Gag Order Appeal appeared first on Breitbart.
Dexter Taylor was sentenced to ten years in prison for charges related to firearms he built from "ghost gun kits," according to NBC New York.
The post Software Engineer Sentenced to 10 Years for Building So-Called ‘Ghost Guns’ appeared first on Breitbart.
A man is accused of stabbing a tourist near New York City's Times Square on Saturday, leaving residents shocked.
The post WATCH: Serial Offender Accused of Stabbing NYC Tourist in Chest appeared first on Breitbart.
Actor Steve Buscemi is OK after he was punched in the face by a man on a New York City street, his publicist said Sunday.
The post New York City: Actor Steve Buscemi Punched in Face — ‘Random Act of Violence’ appeared first on Breitbart.
CNN host Fareed Zakaria said on this week's broadcast of "GPS Sunday" that the criminal charges brought against former President Donald Trump in New York City were politically motivated.
The post CNN’s Zakaria: NYC ‘Prosecutors Are Politically Motivated’ Against Trump appeared first on Breitbart.
Former Utica Mayor Louis LaPolla admitted to committing mail fraud and stealing donations meant for a scholarship that he had established.
The post Former Mayor of Utica Admits to Committing Mail Fraud, Stealing Scholarship Donations appeared first on Breitbart.
On Friday’s broadcast of HBO’s “Real Time,” host Bill Maher reacted to New York Times Executive Editor Joe Kahn arguing that the paper shouldn’t be an instrument for the Biden campaign and only write negative stories about Republicans while writing
The post Maher: NYT Is Just a Democratic Party Instrument appeared first on Breitbart.
A New York City teacher accused of sexual activity with a student remains in the classroom even after officials fired her.
The post ‘Can’t F***ing Touch Me’: NYC Teacher Fired amid Student Sex Allegations Remains in Classroom appeared first on Breitbart.
On Friday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central,” House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) said the media have downplayed how much Hamas has blocked a ceasefire and specifically called out The New York Times for its reporting
The post Top House Armed Services Dem: NYT, a Lot of Outlets Keep Helping Hamas, Disincentivizing Them from Making a Deal appeared first on Breitbart.
New York City authorities are searching for a man who choked a woman with a belt then dragged her away and sexually assaulted her.
The post Police: NYC Woman Choked with Belt, Sexually Assaulted by Unidentified Man appeared first on Breitbart.
Former President Donald Trump said on Friday that his New York business records trial is "election interference" and that "it all comes out of" Washington, DC.
The post Trump on N.Y. Trial: ‘It All Comes Out of Washington, They Have Their Reps Here’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Former President Donald Trump shredded Justice Juan Merchan, who gagged Trump in his business records trial, as he left court on Friday.
The post Trump Rips Merchan over ‘Unconstitutional’ Gag Order: ‘I’d Be Very Proud to Go to Jail for Our Constitution’ appeared first on Breitbart.
CLAIM: President Ronald Reagan, like President Joe Biden, withheld arms from Israel to influence its military policy. VERDICT: MISLEADING. Reagan acted within the law, and in very different circumstances, in withholding arms. The New York Times‘ Peter Baker — winner of
The post Fact Check: NYT Claims Reagan Withheld Arms from Israel, Like Biden appeared first on Breitbart.
Police say a 16-year-old anti-Israel protester, accused of vandalizing a World War I memorial in New York City, has been caught.
The post VIDEO: Police — 16-Year-Old Anti-Israel Protester Vandalized WWI Memorial in New York City appeared first on Breitbart.
Crime is rising rapidly in New York City due to a wave of President Joe Biden's immigrants, and even NPR admits the trend.
The post NPR Admits Joe Biden’s Immigrants Spike Crime in New York City appeared first on Breitbart.
Former federal prosecutor Paul Butler said Thursday on MSNBC's "The ReidOut" that former President Donald Trump's attorney made a huge mistake by going after adult film star Stormy Daniels during her cross-examination at the New York business record trial.
The post Fmr Prosecutor Paul Butler: Defense Attorney Treating Stormy Daniels Like ‘Trash’ Will Hurt Trump appeared first on Breitbart.
A federal judge in New York threw out a proposed abortion and gender identity amendment that was set to appear on the November ballot.
The post Judge Tosses New York Abortion, Gender Identity Amendment from November Ballot appeared first on Breitbart.
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Miss Israel was called a "war criminal," a "little Zionist," and threatened with a knife for identifying as an IDF soldier in New York City.
The post Report: Miss Israel Threatened, Harassed in NYC for Identifying Herself as IDF appeared first on Breitbart.
The first faculty-led anti-Israel encampment was established on Wednesday at The New School in New York City.
The post First Faculty-Led Anti-Israel Encampment Established at New School appeared first on Breitbart.
An international jewel thief, wanted by Interpol for theft in South Korea, was reportedly released into the United States late last year after arriving at the southern border near San Diego, California.
The post Report: International Jewel Thief, Freed into U.S. from Border, Accused of Stealing $300K of Jewelry in NYC appeared first on Breitbart.
A 16-year-old New York City boy was fatally shot in the head in a brazen daylight attack by a bike-riding gunman.
The post Police: NYC Teen Fatally Shot in Head by Bike-Riding Suspect in Broad Daylight appeared first on Breitbart.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) announced that the city's Department of Corrections was prepared to imprison former President Donald Trump at Rikers Island.
The post Mayor Eric Adams Says NYC ‘Prepared’ if Judge Jails Trump at Rikers Island appeared first on Breitbart.
Justice Juan Merchan denied former President Donald Trump’s defense's move for a mistrial on Tuesday over adult film star Stormy Daniels’ testimony at his business records trial in Manhattan.
The post Trump Defense’s Move for Mistrial over Stormy Daniels’ Testimony Denied by Merchan appeared first on Breitbart.
Most voters predict the business records trial will lead to a conviction of former President Donald Trump "on some charges," per a poll.
The post Poll: Most Predict Trump Conviction ‘on Some Charges’ in Business Records Trial, Plurality Says It Has Been Unfair appeared first on Breitbart.
Donald Trump cited some of his fiercest critics on Tuesday to underscore the political nature of his criminal trial in Manhattan.
The post ‘No Smoking Gun’: Donald Trump Cites Media Critics to Debunk Criminal Trial appeared first on Breitbart.
Manhattan prosecutor Matthew Colangelo's wife, Anne Small, sits on the board of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund with Jonathan Soros.
The post Matthew Colangelo’s Wife Sits on NAACP Legal Defense Fund Board with Jonathan Soros appeared first on Breitbart.
Pro-Palestinian protesters in New York City draped a Palestinian flag around a memorial while burning an American flag.
The post Protesters Drape Palestinian Flag Around NYC Memorial, Burn American Flag appeared first on Breitbart.
CNN host Kaitlan Collins said Monday on "Anderson Cooper 360" that former President Donald Trump is now being careful because he does not want to be sent to jail for violating the gag order in his New York business record trial.
The post CNN’s Collins: Trump ‘Is Being Careful,’ He Doesn’t Want to Go to Jail appeared first on Breitbart.
MSNBC commentator Donny Deutsch said Monday on "Deadline" that former President Donald Trump was "terrified" of going to jail because he will be "pulled apart" by not being able to have his normal routines.
The post Donny Deutsch: Trump Is ‘Terrified’ of Jail, ‘He Will Be Pulled Apart’ appeared first on Breitbart.
A cadre of pro-Palestinian protesters were seen parading outside the swanky New York Met Gala, which fashion mogul Anna Wintour hosted.
The post Watch — Pro-Palestinian Protesters Storm Barricade, Crash Met Gala: Arrests Made appeared first on Breitbart.
The lead prosecutor for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s “hush money” case against former President Donald Trump received thousands of dollars from the Democratic National Committee in 2018, Federal Election Commission records show.
Matthew Colangelo, who was President Joe Biden’s acting associate attorney general and spent two years in the current president’s Justice Department, joined the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as senior counsel in December 2022.
The lawyer received $12,000 from the Democratic National Committee for “political consulting” in two payments of $6,000 on Jan. 31, 2018, FEC records show.
Fox News Digital first reported the payments to Colangelo from the DNC.
Reports say Matthew Colangelo received $12,000 from the DNC for "political consulting" in 2018.
— Daniel Baldwin (@baldwin_daniel_) May 6, 2024
Colangelo delivered the opening statement for the prosecution in the Trump hush money case.
Yet Trump can't talk about this due to his unconstitutional gag order.
Trump is not supposed to speak about Colangelo because Judge Juan Merchan imposed a gag order that prevents the former president from speaking about prosecutors on the case besides Bragg.
Colangelo was appointed in 2022, while Bragg was still investigating Trump in relation to a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep her silent regarding an alleged affair. Colangelo delivered opening statements for the prosecution in April, arguing that Trump falsified business documents about the payment as part of a broader initiative to “corrupt the 2016 election.”
“It was election fraud, pure and simple,” Colangelo said.
Trump consistently has characterized the case as “election interference,” referring to it as a “Biden witch hunt” and the “Biden case.”
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan sent a letter Tuesday to Attorney General Merrick Garland regarding Colangelo, requesting documents and communications from his tenure at the Justice Department. Jordan demanded personnel files pertaining to Colangelo’s hiring, employment, and termination there, as well as records and correspondences related to Trump or his organization.
“Bragg is engaged in one such politicized prosecution, which is being led in part by Matthew B. Colangelo, a former senior Justice Department official,” Jordan wrote. “Accordingly, given the perception that the Justice Department is assisting in Bragg’s politicized prosecution, we write to request information and documents related to Mr. Colangelo’s employment.”
While at the New York State Attorney General’s Office before Biden became president, Colangelo led the probe into the Trump Foundation, which resulted in its dissolution. He also led the investigation that eventually became Trump’s civil fraud case, according to The New York Times.
Neither Bragg nor the Democratic National Committee immediately responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation
The post Former Biden DOJ Official Prosecuting Trump Received Thousands of Dollars From DNC appeared first on The Daily Signal.
New York State Sen. Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn), who stands accused of raping a woman in 2004, claimed in court documents that the law supporting the lawsuit against him in the case was unconstitutional, despite the fact he voted for it.
The post Report: Democrat NY State Senator Fights Law Permitting Rape Lawsuit Against Him After He Voted for It appeared first on Breitbart.
A “possible leader” of the anti-Israel protesters, who broke into and barricaded themselves in Columbia University’s Hamilton Hall last week, is reportedly a 40-year-old heir to a multimillion-dollar fortune and repeat provocateur.
The post ‘Possible Leader’ of Columbia University Hamilton Hall Protest Is a 40-Year-Old Millionaire Heir ‘Anarchist’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Governor Doug Burgum (R-ND) said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" that it would be a "travesty of justice" if former President Donald Trump were convicted in the New York business records trial.
The post Burgum: ‘Travesty of Justice’ if Trump Convicted in NY Trial appeared first on Breitbart.
Footage of a "boy who identifies as a girl" attacking a female student in a girls' bathroom at a New York high school has sparked backlash.
The post Male ‘Transgender’ Student Assaults Girl in New York High School Bathroom, School Receives Threats appeared first on Breitbart.
The corporate media do not care. Clarke is a black, female Democrat. She is precious. She will be protected. Period.
The post Nolte: Desperate Media Cover Up DOJ Official Kristen Clarke’s Potential Perjury appeared first on Breitbart.
Alvin Bragg asked Justice Juan Merchan to punish Donald Trump for four comments concerning Michael Cohen and David Pecker.
The post Justice Juan Merchan Weighs Punishing Donald Trump a Second Time for Allegedly Violating Gag Order appeared first on Breitbart.
A CNN report on the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Kristen Clarke, is drawing accusations that the outlet sought to curry favor with President Joe Biden’s DOJ through its framing.
After The Daily Signal published a report on Tuesday highlighting evidence that Clarke had not disclosed an arrest and an expungement during her nomination process to the DOJ—and then explicitly denied ever having been arrested to Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton—CNN published a report on Wednesday headlined “DOJ civil rights leader says she was a victim of abuse in extraordinary statement.”
CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz framed the story around an “exclusive” statement from Clarke to the outlet, in which Clarke confirms that she did not disclose her arrest and expungement and alleged that her ex-husband, Reginald Avery, had domestically abused her for years. Avery, who previously said that Clarke attacked him with a knife in 2006 while they were married, denied his ex-wife’s allegations in a statement to The Daily Signal on Thursday. He also called CNN’s story “a hit piece.”
“Clarke’s now-expunged arrest, which reportedly occurred during a domestic dispute, quickly became a cause célèbre among right-wing media and lawmakers who claim she lied during her 2021 Senate confirmation hearing, with some calling for her resignation,” wrote Rabinowitz, who did not clarify to The Daily Signal why she did not link to the original Daily Signal report.
CNN did not immediately respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment on the story.
Commentator Stephen Miller called out Rabinowitz in a tweet Wednesday evening.
“To be clear what happened here,” he tweeted. “1. Kristen Clarke, the head of Biden’s DOJ Civil Rights Division, did not disclose an arrest from a domestic fight 2. CNN took the original report, omitted that fact she lied under oath, did not link to the original story, and framed Clarke’s own statement.”
To be clear what happened here:
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 1, 2024
1. Kristen Clarke, the head of Biden's DOJ Civil Rights Division did not disclose an arrest from a domestic fight
2. CNN took the original report, omitted that fact she lied under oath, did not link to the original story, and framed Clarke's own… https://t.co/B89z4fFumE
The Federalist Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway similarly accused Rabinowitz of running cover for the DOJ: “CNN propagandist Hannah Rabinowitz was asked by DOJ to spread this info op and she complied, hiding the explosive journalism which provoked it.”
Author Steve Krakauer, the executive producer of “The Megyn Kelly Show,” said it was “outrageous journalistic malpractice for CNN leadership to hang a young reporter out to dry like this, slapping her byline on propaganda spin of an administration, and diminishing actual journalism in the process.”
Chuck Ross, an investigative reporter at The Washington Free Beacon, also weighed in on CNN’s framing.
“Amazing,” said Ross. “After @MaryMargOlohan reports that DOJ’s Kristen Clarke lied about being arrested, Clarke runs to CNN with a claim that she lied only because she was the victim of domestic abuse. And CNN spins it with the typical ‘conservatives pounce’ framing.”
Amazing. After @MaryMargOlohan reports that DOJ's Kristen Clarke lied about being arrested, Clarke runs to CNN with a claim that she lied only because she was the victim of domestic abuse. And CNN spins it with the typical "conservatives pounce" framing. https://t.co/IOUdYtOuSl pic.twitter.com/BFe0pkUz4S
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) May 1, 2024
“Domestic abuse is never okay,” said Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee, in response to the CNN story. “U.S. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said ‘no’ when asked by the Senate Judiciary Committee whether she had ever been arrested for a violent crime. That wasn’t true.”
Domestic abuse is never okay.
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) May 1, 2024
U.S. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said “no” when asked by the Senate Judiciary Committee whether she had ever been arrested for a violent crime.
That wasn’t true.https://t.co/wgiDFIhBoC
New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush quickly criticized Lee for the remark, appearing to defend Clarke without acknowledging her omission to the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Clarke said she was subjected to years of abuse by her ex-husband—and her arrest for slashing his finger was expunged,” he wrote, in response to Lee. “She said she’s still ‘terrorized and traumatized.’ The senator, who initially presented this incident without that context now makes this statement.”
Ross followed up on Thrush’s remark, challenging him: “Come on. She lied to the Senate about ever being arrested. DOJ didn’t reply to the reporter who broke this story, @MaryMargOlohan. The White House mocked her when she asked for comment. Then Clarke goes to CNN with a defense of her arrest that may or may not be true.”
Come on. She lied to the Senate about ever being arrested. DOJ didn’t reply to the reporter who broke this story, @MaryMargOlohan. The White House mocked her when she asked for comment.
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) May 1, 2024
Then Clarke goes to CNN with a defense of her arrest that may or may not be true https://t.co/O1Twll9npq
“Clarke deceived the Senate too many times during her confirmation regarding her position on defunding police and writing anti-white essays in college for anyone, much less an NYT reporter, to take her claims at face value,” Ross added.
The post CNN Accused of ‘Propaganda’ for ‘Spinning’ Bombshell DOJ Story About Kristen Clarke appeared first on The Daily Signal.
Legal experts have been sounding the alarm that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's TikTok fundraising videos have hurt the prosecution.
The post Legal Experts: Michael Cohen TikTok Videos, Fundraising May Have ‘Torpedoed’ NY Trump Prosecution appeared first on Breitbart.
Columbia University Professor Joseph Slaughter said Wednesday on MSNBC's "Chris Jansing Reports" that the school's administration's "gross mismanagement" caused the New York Police Department to have to clear the encampment and arrest the protestors.
The post Columbia Professor Slaughter: Protests Escalated Because of ‘Gross Mismanagement’ appeared first on Breitbart.
An anti-Israel encampment was established at Fordham University in New York City on Wednesday, hours after ones at other colleges were raided.
The post Anti-Israel Encampment Established at Fordham University Hours After Police Raided Others appeared first on Breitbart.
There are many reasons why legal experts are questioning the legitimacy of the criminal prosecution of former President Donald Trump. But the major reason is that the main claim in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case—that Trump’s $130,000 settlement payment of a potential claim by Stormy Daniels was a campaign-related expense—is totally bogus.
Here’s a quick tutorial on why Bragg doesn’t have a legal leg to stand on—call it “Federal Campaign Finance Law for Dummies 101”—an apropos title, given what’s going on.
Daniels claims that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, fully 10 years before the 2016 presidential election, which Trump denies. For the payment, Daniels agreed to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which is a standard provision in many settlement agreements of personal injury cases and other claims.
Bragg contends that Trump falsified business records, a misdemeanor, when this payment was listed as legal expenses instead of a campaign expense.
Supposedly, according to Bragg, that converted the misdemeanors into felonies because Trump was concealing another crime. That other crime, according to prosecutors, is a violation of Section 17-152 of New York law, which makes it a misdemeanor to “promote … the election of any person to public office by unlawful means.”
Besides the fact that it’s very strange to allege that the commission of a misdemeanor for the purpose of covering up the commission of another misdemeanor is enough to allege a felony, the only plausible theory that Bragg is pushing for the alleged “unlawful means” was a violation of federal law by concealing a campaign-related payment.
With me so far?
But Trump was running for president. The raising and spending of money for campaigns for president and Congress is governed by federal law, the Federal Election Campaign Act, not state law. Any wrongdoing related to federal campaign financing falls under the enforcement authority of federal officials, not a local prosecutor like Bragg.
In fact, the Federal Election Commission, on which I served as a commissioner, has civil enforcement authority and the U.S. Department of Justice has criminal enforcement authority over violations of this law.
For the nuisance-value settlement payment to Daniels to fit within Bragg’s rickety legal structure, it would have to be a crime under federal law. In other words, it would have to be considered a campaign-related expense that was falsely reported under the Federal Election Campaign Act.
If you want an example of such a violation, just look at the $113,000 civil penalty the Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee agreed to pay in 2022. They listed the payments for the opposition research that formed the basis for the infamous Steele dossier, which fabricated the entire Trump-Russia collusion hoax, as legal expenses instead of opposition research.
But opposition research on the opposing candidate is obviously a campaign-related expense under applicable federal law, so the FEC had authority to investigate and enforce the law against this deception.
That’s not the case with the Daniels’ payment. For starters, the incident in question that led to the payment is alleged to have happened 10 years before the 2016 campaign. More importantly, the payment fails the test the FEC applies to determine whether an expense is campaign-related.
Under federal law and corresponding regulations, the FEC applies the “irrespective test” to “differentiate legitimate campaign and officeholder expenses from personal expenses.” As the FEC explains on its website, under the irrespective test, “personal use is any use of funds … to fulfill a commitment, obligation, or expense of any person that would exist, irrespective of the candidates’ campaign.”
In other words, if the expense would exist even if the individual were not a candidate, then it’s personal and not a campaign expense.
The payment to Daniels clearly fails that test. Trump was a celebrity long before he ran for office, and celebrities get these kinds of nuisance claims all the time. In fact, the prosecution’s first witness in the New York case, David Pecker, said he had helped settle similar claims to avoid legal costs and embarrassment by suppressing stories for numerous other celebrities, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tiger Woods.
The easiest way to understand this test is to take the example of a personal injury claim.
Candidate A has a car accident several years before he runs for Congress that injures another driver. After the campaign has started, the candidate decides to settle the personal injury claim made by the other driver by paying that driver $130,000 in exchange for a nondisclosure agreement.
Settling and paying the claim may help the candidate in his campaign by avoiding personal embarrassment. But that doesn’t make it a campaign expense. It’s a claim that would exist even if the candidate were not running for office and is thus considered a personal expense under federal law.
Daniels’ claim is also a personal claim that existed long before Trump ran for the presidency and, given his celebrity status, would have continued to exist even if he never ran for president.
That’s no doubt why neither the FEC nor the Justice Department ever filed an enforcement action against the Trump campaign or Trump personally over the payment; specifically, because it was not a campaign-related expense.
You know what would have led to enforcement actions? If Trump had actually claimed this was a campaign-related expense and had used campaign funds to make the payment, I have no doubt he would have been prosecuted by the feds for the illegal use of campaign funds to pay a personal expense.
That’s what former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., went to prison for after he pleaded guilty in 2013 to spending $750,000 on personal expenses.
Keep in mind that Bragg’s entire manufactured case of 34 counts of falsifying business records depends entirely on the legitimacy of his contention that the settlement payment should have been listed as a campaign-related expense.
It shouldn’t because it wasn’t.
And all of the other testimony from the prosecution’s witnesses about this payment and other settlement payments that are obviously intended to blacken the character of the former president and prejudice the jury doesn’t change the fact that none of these payments were campaign-related expenses. Period. End of story—or at least it should be.
The post Trump’s NY Prosecution Is a Bogus Case by a Bogus Prosecutor appeared first on The Daily Signal.
Democrat policies have gutted Manhattan’s once-thriving business district known as Flatiron.
The post Nolte: Democrat Policies Doom New York’s Famous Flatiron District appeared first on Breitbart.
Joe Biden’s fascist lawfare assault on former President Trump is backfiring, according to the latest polling.
The post Nolte: NYC Trial Makes 32% More Likely to Vote for Trump, Only 26% Less Likely appeared first on Breitbart.
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is taking lawsuits against the Illinois "assault weapons" ban and the ban in Maryland into conference.
The post U.S. Supreme Court Taking Gun Ban Challenges to Conference appeared first on Breitbart.
An anti-Israel protester, who was part of a group that took over a building on the campus of Columbia University, complained about a police raid and asked to "go home."
The post Anti-Israel Protester Complains About Columbia NYPD Raid: ‘It’s Finals. Can I Go Home?’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) slammed Democrat New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the presidents of Columbia Univeristy.
The post AOC Criticizes Mayor Eric Adams, Columbia University for NYPD Raid appeared first on Breitbart.
Columbia University issued a statement in response to reports that officers from the New York Police Department (NYPD) had begun a raid on the campus.
The post Columbia University on NYPD Raid: ‘We Were Left with No Choice’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Officers with the New York Police Department (NYPD) began making arrests at the City University of New York (CUNY) on Tuesday evening.
The post NYPD Begins Making Arrests at CUNY City College appeared first on Breitbart.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) reportedly began a raid on Columbia University hours after the university restricted access to its campus.
The post NYPD Raids Encampment at Columbia University appeared first on Breitbart.
In a move that could reshape the relationship between news publishers and AI giants, eight prominent newspapers owned by investment firm Alden Global Capital have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging copyright infringement.
The post Major Newspapers Launch Lawsuit Against OpenAI, Microsoft over AI Copyright Violations appeared first on Breitbart.
Hollywood star Robert De Niro was caught on camera having an emotional meltdown on the set of his upcoming Netflix series "Zero Day" in New York, with the actor screaming angrily at an unseen person or group of people who had clearly spiked his ire.
The post Watch: Robert De Niro Seen Screaming on Set of New Netflix Series — ‘This Is Not a Movie!’ appeared first on Breitbart.
ChatGPT developer OpenAI has reportedly struck a deal with the Financial Times that allows it to use the newspaper's journalism content as a means for training artificial intelligence systems.
The post ChatGPT Developer OpenAI Strikes Deal to Use Financial Times Journalism to Train AI Models appeared first on Breitbart.
Eight years ago, the leftist media took great offense to being dismissed by Donald Trump as “fake news,” but they never seemed to grasp this is exactly how they painted the conservative media, as truth-defying propaganda outlets.
When the Trump trial turned to the National Enquirer, we could find national unity that the Enquirer defines “fake news.” The lefties are very excited to remind voters how the Enquirer was a Trump-allied tabloid full of garbage stories. But the liberal media spread some of them.
In May 2016, the Enquirer uncorked some garbage that Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had cheated on his wife. ABC, CBS, and NBC spent a combined 15-and-a-half minutes spreading the word of this character assassination campaign.
The pro-Biden “media reporters” were still upset last week about the Enquirer and how it played “catch and kill” with Trump accusers, squelching stories that might embarrass Trump. NPR’s David Folkenflik complained to MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace that burying salacious stories is “not a journalistic impulse, it’s not even a tabloid gossip impulse, this is essentially a partisan or propagandistic arm of the Trump campaign in all but name.”
This is coming from NPR, which aggressively trashed the Hunter Biden laptop story as a “pure distraction.” Folkenflik engaged with the story only to dismiss it as “a story marked more by red flags than investigative rigor.”
When The New York Times and The Washington Post published stories acknowledging Hunter’s laptop was real in March and April 2022, Folkenflik didn’t file a story with his regrets. He just kept attacking Fox News, his usual bread and butter.
So on the Hunter laptop, we can throw it back in Folkenflik’s face—NPR’s suppression was not a journalistic impulse, and NPR was essentially a propagandistic arm of the Biden campaign in all but name.
Worse yet, we fund it with our taxes. That gravy train should end.
Ex-CNN reporter Brian Stelter said the same thing on Joy Reid’s MSNBC show about the Enquirer: “It has nothing to do with journalism.” David Pecker’s “not a news man. He’s an advertiser! He’s a marketer, and his product was Donald Trump.” Thanks, Sherlock Stelter. Nobody should define Pecker as a news man.
Like Folkenflik, Stelter squashed the Hunter Biden laptop in 2020 as a Murdoch plot, or as a Russian disinformation campaign, because CNN’s a marketer and its product was anyone but Trump (meaning President Joe Biden).
Stelter also showed up on Alex Wagner’s MSNBC show. Wagner was hopping mad, asking what’s the point of a gag order on Trump when you have a “media-industrial complex that is effectively acting as a public defense line” for Trump? Once again, Wagner can’t imagine MSNBC acting as a “media-industrial complex” for the Democrats.
So, does Wagner wish the judge could issue a gag order for the entire conservative media landscape? No criticism allowed of the get-Trump prosecutors and judge? I thought this was a democracy.
Stelter broke out the usual bravado that the liberals live on “Earth One,” and they must see what’s happening on “Earth Two,” which is an alternative universe of hallucinations. Stelter claimed, “For Jesse Watters, Trump is God, and that is the programming every hour of every day on these other networks.”
That sounds like some crazy religion. Would Stelter survive a little fact-check on whether Fox and Newsmax perpetually pray hourly to the Orange Lord and Savior? Both sides suggest the other side of the media is fake. But both sides are slinging a lot of opinionated hot takes, and Stelter can certainly flip a flapjack on that skillet.
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The post Leftist Reporters Pretend They’re Not Partisan News Squashers appeared first on The Daily Signal.
A New York district attorney is apologizing following a recent outburst directed at a police officer who pulled her over for speeding.
The post WATCH – ‘I Am Fully to Blame’: New York D.A. Sandra Doorley Apologizes for Berating Policeman over Ticket appeared first on Breitbart.
Brookings Institution senior fellow Norm Eisen said Sunday on ABC's "This Week," that former President Donald Trump will likely be convicted in the New York business document trial.
The post Norm Eisen: Trump Likely Headed for Conviction, Possible Jail Time appeared first on Breitbart.
A New York City firefighter has died of a heart attack months after being laid off due to the city's cost-cutting measures.
The post New York Firefighter Dies of Heart Attack Months After City Layoffs from Migrant Crisis appeared first on Breitbart.
President Joe Biden roasted the New York Times (NYT) after the outlet issued a statement claiming he was "actively and effectively" dodging questions from the press.
The post Joe Biden Roasts NYT at White House Correspondents Dinner for Accusing Him of Dodging Press appeared first on Breitbart.
Keith Olbermann is fed up with the New York Times and their "grudge" against President Joe Biden and has retaliated by canceling his subscription to the leftist rag.
The post Keith Olbermann Claims New York Times Has ‘Grudge Against Biden,’ Cancels Subscription appeared first on Breitbart.
Mercedes Schlapp slammed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's business records trial against Donald Trump, calling it "authoritarian."
The post Exclusive — Mercedes Schlapp: The New York Trial Against Donald Trump Is ‘Authoritarian’ appeared first on Breitbart.
A New York district attorney refused to stop when a cop tried to pull her over for speeding, instead driving home.
The post WATCH: New York District Attorney Refuses to Pull Over for Police Because She ‘Didn’t Feel Like Stopping’ appeared first on Breitbart.
It would send a strong message if former President Donald Trump visits minority communities in New York, showing he is a "man of the people," Lee Zeldin said.
The post Exclusive — Lee Zeldin: Trump Should Hold Madison Square Garden Rally, Visit Black Churches appeared first on Breitbart.
New York has been trending right, and Donald Trump should "keep the strategy up," former Rep. Lee Zeldin said on Breitbart News Saturday.
The post Exclusive — Lee Zeldin: New York Has Been Trending Right; Donald Trump Should ‘Keep the Strategy Up’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Former New York Giants offensive lineman Korey Cunningham was found dead in his home on Thursday. He was only 28.
The post Ex-Giants Lineman Korey Cunningham Dead at 28, 18 Months After Final NFL Game appeared first on Breitbart.
Two New York representatives are considering a bill that would send "antisemitism monitors" to visit college and university campuses that receive federal funding.
The post New York Lawmakers Considering Legislation to Create ‘Antisemitism Monitors’ on College Campuses appeared first on Breitbart.
A New York City cop who got into a scuffle with a suspect in an Apple Store in 2021 has been acquitted after being hit with assault charges.
The post New York City Cop Acquitted Three Years After Punching Suspect Who Refused to Leave Apple Store appeared first on Breitbart.
His Fraudulency Joe Biden refuses to be interviewed by the New York Times but just appeared on Howard Stern’s radio show.
The post Nolte: Biden Appears on Howard Stern Show After Snubbing ‘New York Times’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Former President Donald Trump wished to celebrate Melania Trump's birthday in Florida on Friday, but he is unable to spend the day with her due to his "rigged" criminal trial in Manhattan, he told reporters.
The post Donald Trump Wishes to Celebrate Melania Trump’s Birthday but is ‘at a Courthouse for a Rigged Trial’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Communication staffers in the White House reportedly have a rocky relationship with the New York Times, which they accuse of unfair treatment and entitlement.
The post Report: White House’s Rocky Relationship with New York Times Causes Biden Major Problems appeared first on Breitbart.
The New York Times piled on the criticism of the Biden White House for dodging press interviews, saying it sets a "dangerous precedent."
The post New York Times: Biden Dodging Press Sets a ‘Dangerous Precedent’ appeared first on Breitbart.
A New York union leader says that Democrat policies are pushing voters toward Republicans and that the vast majority of his 9,000 members back former President Donald Trump over President Joe Biden.
The post NY Union Leader: My Members Back Trump 3:1 over Biden; Leftist Policies Driving Voters to Right appeared first on Breitbart.
A New York City construction worker delivered a harsh message to President Joe Biden on Thursday morning in Manhattan.
The post WATCH — NYC Construction Worker Shares Message to Joe Biden: ‘F*ck You’ appeared first on Breitbart.
A whopping 85 percent of New Yorkers said the cost of food is rising faster than their income in a poll released Tuesday.
The post Poll: 85% of New Yorkers Say Grocery Costs Are Rising Faster than Their Income appeared first on Breitbart.
A band of migrants brawled outside of a Midtown hotel in New York City where they were seen fighting with sticks, belts, bats, and even traffic cones.
The post Watch: Migrants Brawl Outside Hotel in New York, Swing Sticks, Bats, Belts appeared first on Breitbart.
Those who intend to vote for Donald Trump in 2024 are more enthusiastic than individuals who intend to vote for Joe Biden.
The post Poll: Donald Trump Supporters More Enthusiastic to Vote than Joe Biden Voters appeared first on Breitbart.
Former President Donald Trump met with former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Tuesday evening, discussing the relationship between the two countries.
The post Donald Trump Meets with Former Japanese Prime Minister: ‘Great Honor to Have Him’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Retired California Superior Court Judge LaDoris Cordell said Tuesday on MSNBC's "All In" that she would give former President Donald Trump jail time for violating a gag order but stay it until the end of the New York trial.
The post Retired CA Judge Cordell: I Would Give Trump Jail for Violating Gag Order, Stay It Until End of Trial appeared first on Breitbart.
Hundreds of anti-Israel protesters gathered outside of Sen. Chuck Schumer's (D-NY) home in Brooklyn, calling for the United States to "stop arming Israel."
The post Anti-Israel Protesters Gather Outside Sen. Schumer’s Home, Demand U.S. ‘Stop Arming Israel’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) said Tuesday on CNN's "News Central" that his assessment of former President Donald Trump's character is you don’t pay someone to not to have sex with you.
The post Romney on Trump’s Character: ‘You Don’t Pay Someone $130,000 Not to Have Sex with You’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Sanctuary states are planning to dish out billions in American taxpayer dollars to migrants in 2024, offering housing, food, and health care.
The post Migrants Secure Billions of Dollars in Taxpayer Funding for Housing, Food, Health Care Across Sanctuary States appeared first on Breitbart.
A new phenomenon known as "serial churners" spells trouble for streaming services wherein people subscribe only temporarily.
The post ‘Serial Churners’ Emerge as Latest Hollywood Streaming Profit Nightmare appeared first on Breitbart.
Justice Juan Merchan appeared to show his dark side during a Tuesday gag order hearing concerning former President Donald Trump.
The post Gag Order Hearing — Justice Juan Merchan Rages at Donald Trump’s Lawyer: ‘You’re Losing All Credibility’ appeared first on Breitbart.
People hoping to find work assembling offshore wind turbine engines and blades at the Port of Coeymans in New York are out of luck.
The post Hundreds of Local Jobs Vanish as New York Offshore Wind Projects Canceled appeared first on Breitbart.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow said Monday on "Chris Jansing Reports" that it was striking to see former President Donald Trump seemed "old and tired and mad" in the "dingy" Manhattan courtroom.
The post MSNBC’s Maddow: Trump ‘Seemed Old and Tired and Mad’ in Court appeared first on Breitbart.
Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-MN) daughter, Isra Hirsi, recently complained to Teen Vogue about what happened following her suspension from her New York City college after an anti-Israel encampment was formed at Columbia University.
The post Ilhan Omar’s Daughter Whines About Being ‘Houseless’ After College Suspension over Anti-Israel Protests appeared first on Breitbart.
A Home Depot in New Rochelle, New York, is taking drastic measures to ensure shoppers are safe from "aggressive" migrants and thieves.
The post PHOTO: New York Home Depot Hires Guards with German Shepherd to Deter ‘Aggressive’ Migrants and Thieves appeared first on Breitbart.
High school soccer players did not get to play a game on Sunday because a group of migrants allegedly took over the field in the East Harlem area of New York City.
The post ‘This Is Too Dangerous’: NYC Coach Says Teens’ Soccer Game Canceled When Migrants Refused to Leave Field appeared first on Breitbart.
The disturbed protester who lit himself on fire outside of Donald Trump's trial in Manhattan yesterday has died of his injuries.
The post Self-Immolator Max Azzarello Dies After Igniting Himself Outside of New York Trump Trial appeared first on Breitbart.
Donald Trump expressed appreciation in a signed note to the D.C. Young Republicans Club for their exposing a never Trumper inside Speaker Johnson's office.
The post Donald Trump Thanks Young GOP Group for Exposing Never Trumper In Speaker’s Office: ‘Will Not Forget’ appeared first on Breitbart.
New York City spends too much on police, an illegal immigrant reportedly said during a contentious committee hearing, New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino — who spoke up at the event — told Breitbart News Daily.
The post Exclusive – NYC Councilwoman: Illegal Immigrant Said City Spends Too Much on Police appeared first on Breitbart.
A man set himself on fire in front of the Manhattan courtroom on Friday as a CNN live broadcast reported on the jury being seating in former President Donald Trump's trial.
The post Watch: Man Sets Self on Fire in Front of Trump Courthouse Live on CNN appeared first on Breitbart.
Here is a breakdown of the 12 jurors seated in the trial of former President Donald Trump. The trial is taking place in solidly-Democrat Manhattan, making it challenging for Trump's defense to find fair and impartial jurors.
The post Who Are the 12 Jurors Seated in the Trump Hush Money Trial? appeared first on Breitbart.
Breitbart Editor-in-Chief and New York Times bestselling Breaking Biden author Alex Marlow said Thursday on Fox Business Network's "Kudlow" that the New York business records trial of former President Donald Trump is "third world stuff."
The post Marlow on ‘Kudlow’: NYC Trump Trial Is Insane ‘Third World Stuff’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Former President Donald Trump is campaigning in blue New Jersey amid his criminal trial in New York, making a play for these blue areas, exactly as he said he would do.
The post Donald Trump Campaigning in Blue New Jersey appeared first on Breitbart.
One of two jurors who have been dismissed from former President Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York said the former president looked "bored" and "less orange."
The post Dismissed Trump Juror: Trump Looked ‘Bored,’ ‘Less Orange’ appeared first on Breitbart.
Former President Donald Trump said his political opponents are trying to get him off the campaign trail and suggested it does not seem to be working.
The post Trump: Political Opponents Trying to Get Me Off the Campaign Trail appeared first on Breitbart.
Yet another unprovoked street attack has taken place in New York City, a random man beating a woman with a hockey stick in Manhattan last Tuesday.
The post Police: Woman Beaten with Hockey Stick in Unprovoked NYC Attack appeared first on Breitbart.
A prospective juror who reportedly told the court she could remain unbiased in former President Donald Trump's criminal trial admitted in an interview this week that she is "not a fan" of him, listing various reasons including his comments on China, which she claimed made her "angry."
The post Prospective Juror Who Said She Could Remain Unbiased Admits ‘Not a Fan’ of Trump appeared first on Breitbart.
A Haitian migrant, reportedly released into the United States via President Joe Biden's parole pipeline, is now accused of double homicide.
The post Report: Joe Biden’s Migrant Mobile App Freed Haitian, Now Accused of Double Murder, into U.S. appeared first on Breitbart.
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