BREAKING: Arizona prosecutors have charged 11 fake electors for their roles in efforts to subvert the 2020 election. mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f…
There are *seven* additional people charged in this indictment who have not yet been served. So their names remain redacted. mcusercontent.com/cc1fad182b6d6f…
MORE: The universe of indicted Trump allies charged over the 2020 election expanded tonight. It now includes:
-Mark Meadows
-Rudy Giuliani
-John Eastman
-Ken Chesebro
-Jenna Ellis
-Mike Roman
-Sidney Powell
-Boris Epshteyn
-Christina Bobb
-Jeffrey Clark
-36 fake electors (including state GOP chairs Michael McDonald, Kelli Ward, David Shafer) politico.com/news/2024/04/2…
NOTABLE DETAIL: Witnesses in Arizona told us that the grand jurors — a mix of political backgrounds — were particularly proactive, driving lines of inquiry with witnesses that went further than what prosecutors often asked about.
MORE: The indictment (right) notes that a member of Congress also called AZ House Speaer Rusty Bowers on Jan. 6 to urge him to support overturning the election. Bowers previously told the Jan. 6 committee (left) this was Biggs. politico.com/news/2024/04/2…
If there’s a significant fact or detail in the AZ indictment that wasn’t previously unearthed by the Jan. 6 committee, news reports or texts/emails released in other litigation, I haven’t found it. politico.com/news/2024/04/2…
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
HAPPENING NOW: The jury has signaled it has a note for the judge, so everyone is reconvening for an update. Unclear what the subject is.
I've seen some quick verdicts in cases, but that would be a shocker here. I've also seen juries deliberate for hours before sending a note that makes it sound like they've barely scratched the surface and maybe need troubleshooting help accessing evidence.
MERCHAN says the note came in at 2:56. It contains 4 requests.
1) Pecker's testimony re phone call with Trump 2) Pecker's testimoyn regarding decision not to finalize and fund McDougal's life rights 3) Pecker's testimony onTrump Tower meeting 4) Cohen on Trump Tower meeting
JUST IN: Unsealed filing in Trump Florida case says there were two rounds of classified documents discovered at Mar-a-Lago *after* the FBI search. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…
Judge HOWELL also found last year that prosecutors provided sufficient evidence that Trump sought to hide classified documents from prosceutors. It was part of her ruling granting crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…
This entire opinion from Judge Howell assessing the evidence prosecutors presented on Trump's "willful retention" of classified docs and efforts to obstruct the probe is extraordinary.
She described Nauta as "dissembling" in his FBI interview as well.
HAPPENING NOW: Trump lawyers and prosecutors began the day with a lengthy sidebar with Justice Merchan, unclear on whaat subject. Cohen cross-examination to resume imminently. politico.com/trumptrial
NEW: Bob Costello, a longtime Giuliani attorney and potential Trump defense witness, used yesterday's trial off-day to savage Michael Cohen in testimony to Congress.
Cohen has accused Costello of being part of a Trump-backed effort to pressure him against "flipping" politico.com/live-updates/2…
COSTELLO said Cohen repeatedly told him in 2018 that he had no evidence to incriminate Trump. Cohen testified Tuesday that he didn't tell Costello what he knew because he didn't trust him. politico.com/live-updates/2…
COHEN begins by talking about a Feb. 2017 meeting with Trump in the Oval Office. He says Trump asked if he was OK for money and emphasized a check would be coming to begin reimbursement for Stormy Daniels payoff.
Prosecutors are now presenting each of the 7 monthly checks Cohen received in 2017 from the Trump Organization. The paperwork said they were for his legal work when in fact, he says, they were to reimburse him for paying off Stormy Daniels. politico.com/trumptrial
I'm taking a turn at the Trump trial today in Manhattan, joining @eorden and @benfeuerherd for what could be the most crucial day of testimony since this began.
NEW: The Arizona grand jury that indicted 18 Trump allies displayed unusual independence and aggressiveness that at times surpassed AG Kris Mayes' prosecutors.
A rare look inside the process that led to last month's indictment.
At least two of the 18 people indicted by the grand jury — Christina Bobb and Jenna Ellis — were told by prosecutors that they weren't targets of the investigation. In Ellis' case, that assurance was reiterated four days before she was charged. politico.com/news/2024/05/1…
One witness described an interview with the grand jury that revealed a panel that was not politically monolithic and had factions of some particularly aggressive jurors with clear opinions and others more skeptical of the lines of questioning. politico.com/news/2024/05/1…