Some highlights once I give the story an update. In the meanwhile, give the order inside the story a read.
Earlier this morning, Trump's lawyers argued that the civil probe was essentially a way to extract information without having to offer immunity that a grand jury would afford in a criminal investigation.
Engoron: "This argument completely misses the mark."
Engoron:
Trump and his children have the "absolute right" to assert Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
Eric Trump did it more than 500 times, he notes.
Justice Engoron:
Trump was "hardly a stranger" to the NYAG's office when Tish James took over.
Her predecessors reached significant settlements with Trump's "University" and "Foundation," the judge says—his scare quotes.
Engoron:
The thousands of documents responsive to the subpoenas that I've viewed privately show "significant basis" for continuing the investigation, undercutting notion that it's based on animus rather than facts and law.
Engoron:
"As has often been said, that a prosecutor dislikes someone does not prevent a prosecution."
Engoron:
It would have been "blatant dereliction of duty" not to investigate and issue subpoenas.
Engoron:
Trump's spin on Mazars ditching him is Orwellian, "audacious" and "preposterous."
Engoron:
NYAG found "copious evidence of possible financial fraud."
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
The judges presiding over the Epstein and Maxwell dockets have "inherent authority" to appoint a special master to release the files, and Trump DOJ's actions show why.
As more survivors join the fight for courts to appoint a "special master" overseeing the release of the Epstein files, the courts confront procedural hurdles.
One of the judges asked:
Who has standing for the request?
Do judges have the authority?
The new brief answers:
The Congressmen "do not require standing," the brief says.
Khanna and Massie are *amici* advising the judges of their inherent powers, which Trump's DOJ conceded by shifting blame for delays to the court in this press release dated two days after the deadline.
An emergency hearing is scheduled to begin shortly in @RepJoeNeguse v. ICE, challenging Kristi Noem reinstating a seven-day advanced notice policy for congressional visits to detention centers.
See for the linked article at the top of the thread for the breakdown on the legal issues.
Judge Cobb says that the issue before her today is which funds the government is using on ICE facilities: Section 527 or Trump's mammoth spending bill.
If they're using Section 527 funds, they're in violation of the judge's stay order.
Lawyers for the House Dems say it's clear that they are.
After the government rested, Judge Dugan’s lawyers moved for an acquittal: A key prosecution witness testified that Dugan personally directed her and her client to where federal agents were waiting.