Trump suffers blows in two criminal cases as insurer questioned over fraud bond: Live – The Independent

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Republican presidential candidate suffers string of legal setbacks
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Donald Trump suffered legal setbacks in both his Florida and Georgia cases on Thursday as New York attorney general Letitia James submitted a request for more information about the company underwriting the $175m fraud bond he placed on Monday.
In the classified documents case, Judge Aileen Cannon denied the Republican presidential candidate’s motion to dismiss the indictment brought by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith based on the Presidential Records Act, which Mr Trump claims gave him the authority to retain papers containing sensitive national security information.
Judge Cannon also denied Mr Smith’s request for a prompt ruling on jury instructions prior to trial, calling the prosecution’s request “unprecedented and unjust”.
In the Peach State election interference case, Judge Scott McAfee also rejected an effort by the the candidate and his co-defendants to throw out the indictment on free speech grounds.
And in New York, Ms James filed notice asking for evidence that Knight Specialty Insurance Company, which backed the bond Mr Trump placed on Monday, can pay up if needed.
The politician was forced to resubmit key paperwork relating to the bond on Thursday after it was rejected and “returned for correction” over missing information.
Tough week for Trump Media as stock closes out Friday 12% down
Having only listed on the Nasdaq last week, Trump Media & Technology Group has fallen 39 per cent from its closing high of $66.22 on 27 March.
Today alone it fell 12 per cent, closing at $40.59.
Donald Trump owns a 60 per cent stake in the company, the value of which has head south since Monday. Ouch.
Oh, and while we’re on the subject, he’s also suing the co-founders of Truth Social and in 2022 the business was propped up by a Russian-American businessman who is under criminal investigation.
Here’s more of what you need to know:
Share price down 27 per cent by lunchtime before making slight recovery
The judge overseeing the classified documents case against Donald Trump has denied his motion to dismiss the case based on the Presidential Records Act (PRA), which the former president claims gives him the authority to retain papers containing national security information.
In a Thursday afternoon filing, District Court Judge Aileen Cannon denied Mr Trump’s request to dismiss the case saying the counts in the indictment made, “no reference to the Presidential Records Act” and that it “does not provide a pre-trial basis to dismiss.”
Ariana Baio reports on the latest from Florida:
Trump often claims the Presidential Records Act absolves him of criminal wrongdoing in classified documents case
A Georgia judge has rejected Donald Trump and his co-defendants’ attempt to dismiss the state election interference trial for violating their right to free speech.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on Thursday denied the defendant’s latest attempt to delay or dismiss the case, saying the unsubstantiated claims of election fraud that the defendants made were allegedly, “in furtherance of criminal activity and constitute false statements knowingly and willfully made in matters within a government agency’s jurisdiction which threaten to deceive and harm the government.”
Ariana Baio reports:
Former president’s attorneys argued that his unsubstantiated claims of election fraud in Georgia were protected under the First Amendment
Donald Trump’s latest effort to weaponise the death of an American against Joe Biden and his management of the situation at America’s southern border has enraged family members of his most recent target.
John Bowden has the story:
Family of woman killed by undocumented migrant issues angry denial after former president says he spoke with them
A Manhattan judge denied Donald Trump’s efforts to have his criminal trial delayed on presidential immunity grounds, saying the former president’s filing was “untimely.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Judge Juan Merchan submitted a six-page filing denying Mr Trump’s last-ditch effort to delay the trial concerning alleged hush-money payments even further after Mr Trump’s team successfully delayed the trial 30 days.
Ariana Baio has the details:
In denying the motion to delay the criminal trial, Judge Juan Merchan also scolded former president for filing late
Donald Trump’s $175m bond in his New York civil fraud case has been thrown into doubt by New York Attorney General Letitia James after she filed a notice asking for evidence that the out-of-state firm that underwrote it really has the money to pay up.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
Letitia James filed a ‘notice of exception to the sufficiency of the surety’ seeking more information about Knight Specialty Insurance Company
Donald Trump’s Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company behind his Truth Social network that made its Wall Street debut last week, had to be kept afloat in 2022 through a series of emergency loans provided, in part, by a Russian-American businessman under scrutiny as part of a federal investigation into insider trading, according to a report by The Guardian.
Joe Sommerlad has the details:
Former president’s TMTG went public last week after being kept afloat by loans received, in part, from trust managed by person of interest to federal prosecutors
Two investors connected to an insider trading scheme regarding the merger of Digital World Acquisition Corporation (DWAC) with Trump Media & Technology Group have pled guilty to securities fraud in connection to the scheme.
On Wednesday, brothers Michael Shvartsman and Gerald Shvartsman each pled guilty to one count of securities fraud in New York City.
Ariana Baio has the details:
Michael and Gerald Shvartsman made more than $22m in 2021 by trading securities based on material non-public information
As workers continue efforts to cut apart and remove the twisted wreckage of what was once the Francis Scott Key Bridge, President Joe Biden vowed that he and his administration “will not rest” until a replacement span is rebuild and carrying vehicles across the Patapsco River once more.
Standing outside the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department headquarters not far from where the bridge once stood, Mr Biden repeated the promise he made in remarks delivered from the White House, mere hours after the container ship Dali struck one of the half-century-old span’s supports, bringing it down and blocking all maritime traffic in and out of Baltimore’s harbour.
As Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and a bevy of other Old Line State dignaries looked on, Mr Biden said: “We’re going to move heaven and earth to rebuild this bridge.”
Andrew Feinberg reports:
As workers continue efforts to cut apart and remove the twisted wreckage of what was once the Francis Scott Key Bridge, President Joe Biden vowed that he and his administration “will not rest” until a replacement span is rebuild and carrying vehicles across the Patapsco River once more.
And don’t get her started on the eclipse…
Dan Gooding has the story:
The Georgia Republican also said Monday’s eclipse is a sign of things to come
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Donald Trump
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