Trump v House Financial Services Committee oral argument has started in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Patrick Strawbridge for Trump says he is being targeted because he's President - @SDNYLIVE thread
@sdnylive@MatthewLeeICP@Grantfaulkner4@topsecretk9@AdamShawNY@kristina_wong@SaraCarterDC Strawbridge is out of time, asks for more. He's told "we're going to be somewhat loose with the clock;" also for lawyer for Housing Financial Services Committee. It's SDNY District Judge Ramos' order that's being appealed. At 10:45 he had a case about... Old Navy
@sdnylive@MatthewLeeICP@Grantfaulkner4@topsecretk9@AdamShawNY@kristina_wong@SaraCarterDC He goes there: Trump's lawyer Strawbridge brings up Fusion GPS, then says he is not authorized to negotiate here at the podium. Plays the reasonableness card, emphasizing Team Trump offered to negotiate before the Preliminary Injunction hearing before Judge Ramos
OK - now at Aimee Harris last ditch hearing to try to avoid July 9 surrender for 1 month in jail for Ashley Biden diary. Inner City Press has been covering the case and will live tweet, thread below innercitypress.com/sdny377pfifthc…
[Before Judge in]
Clerk: Ms Harris, can you hear us?
Aimee Harris ["appearing" in SDNY court virtually from Florids] Only every other word.. I'll move and take my earbuds out.
[Now Aimee Harris appears on screen in SDNY courtroom, white headphones on, turquoise wall behind her]
Aimee Harris: You sound far away but I can hear you.
All rise!
Judge: Ms Harris, please turn your camera on. I have the CJA attorney on duty today here.
OK - now US v. Bob Menendez defense case at 10:30 am, no case by golden gifter Fred Daibes and then Wael Hana's halal meat monopoly witness - Inner City Press wrote the (first) book and will live tweet, thread below amazon.com/dp/B0D7X51R2D
[In the courtroom: Bob Menendez sitting smiling in the front row of the gallery as at defense table his lawyers Fee and Weitzman go through sheafs of paper, and Wael Hana stands with his hands in his suitpants pockets, also laughing...
Drum roll...
All rise!
Judge Stein: Before the jury comes in, as to Hana's defense case, only Egypt is relevant, not Latin America or India. Employee Number 5 can testify, including about Nadine. Those are the parameters.
OK - now US v Menendez, 5 pm proceeding on motions about what can come into evidence in the defense case. Inner City Press wrote the (first) book and will live tweet, thread below amazon.com/dp/B0D7X51R2D
All rise!
Judge Stein: I am allowing in portions of the deposition, you can play it for the jury tomorrow. How much time?
Defense: We are trying to streamline, to get it to the jurors more quickly. If Government doesn't cross about the chart, it's 10 minutes
Menendez's lawyer Weitzman: The government put into evidence 700 documents at the end of their case, we didn't cross on those. So let our chart go in.
AUSA: Their charts are argumentative in ways that ours were not.
Defense: What is we do 15 minutes and they, 15
OK - now heading to sentencing of Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, formerly of the Honduras National Police (and cousin of JOH). Pineda wants 15 years; US is asking for 20. [ Pineda quiere 15 años; Estados Unidos pide 20] Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below
All rise!
Judge Castel: I have read Mr. Pineda's letter
[Inner City Press has also read it: Pineda says he's teaching Spanish and advising Christians]
Pineda's lawyer Ma: No objection to the Pre-Sentencing Report
Ma: Judge Schofield in 2018 sentenced the HNP's Garcia who worked with Lionel Rivera of los Cachiros to 168 months or 14 years. Ludwig Zelaya Romero had lists of sicarios, killed a journalist. He got 144 months or 12 years
OK - Menendez trial as defense case starts, Judge Stein says proffered evidence on Nadine's ex-bf Anton is "too soap opera" and excluded, complains of over litigious trial, Inner City Press 2d book coming will live tweet, thread below amazon.com/dp/B0D7X51R2D
[Before jury is brought in]
Judge Stein: Where did you raise this objection?
Assistant US Attorney: It's about DX 1591.
Judge: Mr. Weitzman, what's the issue here?
Menendez's lawyer Avi Weitzman: I'm only going to use it to refresh.
Judge: OK. It's a banana.
Judge: I'm told that the jury is here. How many do you have?
AUSA: Texts between Robert Mendenez and Nadine sister Katia. I think these sentences are hearsay, and the rest is not relevant.
Judge: Let me look at it.
OK - now at sentencing of #Ghana "influencer" Mona Faiz Montrage for romance scsms. She's asked for 3 months in prison: US wants 37 months. As only media here, Inner City Press will live tweet, thread below
Judge: The guideline is 37 to 46 months.
Assistant US Attorney: The victims were vulnerable senior citizens. Some were promised marriage; they sent and lost money. Middlemen received 10%.
AUSA: Defendant participated in this scheme fir six years. 32 victims lost $1.4 million. Meanwhile Ms. Montrage reinvented herself in Ghana.