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Judges in Two Trump Cases on One Day Forced to Take Extraordinary Protective Measures

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Two judges in two separate Donald Trump trials on one day were forced to take extraordinary protective measures based on the actions of the defendant or his attorneys, and his followers.

While the protective measures are rare they are not unprecedented, but they underscore the threats the justice system is facing from the ex-president’s followers.

Friday afternoon in the $250 million civil fraud case against the ex-president, his two adult sons, and his company, New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron expanded the gag order he had imposed on Donald Trump to include Trump’s attorneys, and threatened “serious sanctions” should they violate it. On Thursday two of Trump’s attorneys targeted the judge’s principal law clerk, actions that Trump had taken in earlier weeks, which initiated the imposition of the limited gag order.

READ MORE: Damning Document Produced in Court Shows Trump Knew He Lost Election Before Leaving Office: Expert

Judge Engoron “wrote that since the trial started, his chambers ‘have been inundated with hundreds of harassing and threatening phone calls, voicemails, emails, letters and packages,” Axios reported.

“The First Amendment right of defendants and their attorneys to comment on my staff is far and away outweighed by the need to protect them from threats and physical harm,” Engoron added. On Thursday the judge was so outraged by the targeting of his law clerk he reportedly pounded the bench and warned the attorneys.

“The order restricts attorneys in the case from making public statements that refer to any confidential communications between Engoron and his staff,” Axios adds. Engoron accused Trump’s lawyers including Chris Kise, Alina Habba, and Clifford Robert, of having “made, on the record, repeated, inappropriate remarks about my Principal Law Clerk.”

As MSNBC’s Lisa Rubin noted, also on Friday, in a separate civil case, the remaining one brought by journalist E. Jean Carroll, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan – citing the gag order imposed by Judge Engoron – ordered the jurors in the upcoming Carroll case must remain anonymous.

Judge Kaplan wrote, if jurors’ identities “were disclosed, there would be a strong likelihood of unwanted media attention to the jurors, influence attempts, and/or harassment or worse by supporters of Mr. Trump [and/or by Mr. Trump himself] Indeed, in the very recent past, Mr. Trump has been fined twice for violating a gag order issued by a New York judge in response to comments made by Mr. Trump in relation to the judge’s clerk. In view of Mr. Trump’s repeated public statements with respect to the plaintiff [E. Jean Carroll] and court in this case as well as in other cases against him, and the extensive media coverage that this case already has received and that is likely to increase once the trial is imminent or underway, the Court finds that there is strong reason to believe the jury requires … protections.”

READ MORE: ‘I Am a Steadfast Christian’ and ‘I Refuse to Put People Over Politics’: Johnson’s Emails Sing Different Tunes

The order bans the “names, addresses, and places of employment of prospective jurors … as well as jurors who ultimately are selected … shall not be revealed.”

He also ordered U.S. Marshal Service to transport the jurors to and from. undisclosed locations before and after each trial day “at which the jurors can assemble or from which they may return to their respective residences.”

 

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Congressman Conway? Top Trump Critic Reportedly Eyeing House Bid

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George Conway, the prominent attorney, Trump critic, and ex-husband of former Trump White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway, may be considering a run for Congress.

According to a report at CNN and a post by New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni, Conway is eyeing a run for retiring Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler’s New York district.

CNN reported that Conway, 62, is “actively considering running for Congress from New York City, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN.”

Karni reported, “the Conway pitch being — what the House will need next year is an aggressive lawyer with an investigative background just going after Trump.”

READ MORE: Melania Trump to Appear With President as Epstein Files Take Center Stage

Conway is a former Republican who became an independent in 2018. He has a law degree from Yale, and successfully argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, obtaining a unanimous ruling. He is a co-founder of The Lincoln Project and currently co-hosts a podcast at The Bulwark.

Should Democrats retake the majority in the House of Representatives, it’s likely there will be numerous investigations into President Donald Trump and his administration — not to mention possible efforts to impeach the unpopular and controversial Commander in Chief.

Conway would have good company in a primary.

“Jack Schlossberg, former President John F. Kennedy’s grandson, entered the race this week,” CNN noted.

The Daily Beast adds that “much of the buzz around Conway stems from his personal life. While he and his 58-year-old ex-wife, Kellyanne, tried to make their marriage work amid his dramatic political realignment, the couple frequently made headlines. As Kellyanne served as senior counselor to Trump from 2017 to 2020, her husband routinely sounded off on her boss and advisers—including Stephen Miller, whom Kellyanne referred to as one of her ‘best friends’ in the current administration earlier this month.”

READ MORE: White House Eyes Major Blitz as GOP Voters Blame Trump for Failing Economy

 

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Melania Trump to Appear With President as Epstein Files Take Center Stage

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First Lady Melania Trump will make a rare appearance with President Donald Trump as the Epstein files crisis continues to take center stage.

The President has been all but radio silent for almost a full day, with the exception of a Wednesday Oval Office appearance where he took no questions from reporters.

“President Trump will be joined by First Lady Melania Trump in the East Room for an executive order signing aimed at expanding opportunities for education, career development, housing, and other resources for young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Leavitt said the initiative is “part of the First Lady’s Fostering the Future efforts, which are a Be Best initiative.”

“In May,” Newsmax reported, “Melania Trump announced a $25 million investment from the Trump administration to support youth aging out of foster care.”

Recently, the President and First Lady appeared together in the United Kingdom at state visit events in September. That month they also appeared together at a 9/11 event at the Pentagon. Late last month they hosted a White House Halloween event.

Thursday’s event is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

READ MORE: White House Eyes Major Blitz as GOP Voters Blame Trump for Failing Economy

 

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‘Out of Touch’: Eric Trump Blasted for $500 Million Bitcoin Brag

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Eric Trump, President Donald Trump’s son in charge of the family’s real estate empire, is under fire for bragging about millions of dollars of bitcoin as millions of Americans struggle to put food on the table, after his father urged the Supreme Court to allow him to not fund SNAP during the shutdown.

Millions of Americans found their SNAP accounts unfunded on November 1. SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, helps about 42 million Americans buy groceries. Most people who use SNAP are elderly, children, disabled, or working more than one job.

“There’s no reason, at 5 o’clock, on a Friday afternoon, you should, you know, I should be able to send out a SWIFT wire transfer,” the middle Trump son lamented to Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo. “You know, right now, you can’t.”

READ MORE: White House Eyes Major Blitz as GOP Voters Blame Trump for Failing Economy

“I try and make a transfer every single week, and you’re trying to push before the 5 o’clock deadline to either receive money or to get it out. How is that modern day finance?” he complained.

“You can send $500 million worth of Bitcoin on a Sunday night at, you know, at 11:00 p.m. while having a glass of wine with your wife,” Trump explained. “For virtually zero fees.”

“You know, how is the system this lethargic? Why does it take you 120 days to get a, you know, go through, Know Your Customer with your bank? If you want to get a home mortgage, it doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “Cryptocurrency is gonna fix every single one of these issues, and Bitcoin is digital gold.”

“Bitcoin is going to be one of the greatest stores of value we’ve ever seen,” he concluded.

Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with the Trump economy, polls show. Inflation has been on the rise, as have prices at the supermarket. The average cost of a car is now over $50,000. Major corporations have announced or are planning to lay off thousands — or even tens of thousands — of workers. Unemployment is estimated to be up, to a four-year high, per the most recent data. Consumer confidence has dropped to a near-record low. There is a possibility that some parts of the country may already be in a recession, according to one economist.

Critics blasted Trump’s remarks.

READ MORE: ‘Utter Detachment From Reality’: Expert Breaks Down Trump’s Economic Policy Flaws

“Just like every normal American does,” The Bulwark’s Colin Jones sarcastically remarked.

“Is that before or after you figure out how you’re going to feed your family without the SNAP payments his father went to the Supreme Court to suspend? Or pay the health care costs his administration has made sure to skyrocket? I just want to get the sequencing right,” wrote Franklin Leonard, founder of the Black List.

“I’m just like Eric. Except on my Sunday nights I’m trying to order my Instacart for the family while the low grade gummy kicks in,” wrote The Bulwark’s Sam Stein.

“Don’t let anyone tell you the Trumps are out of touch with rising costs,” remarked MSNBC’s Matt Fuller.

“Starting to think they may not understand what families going through with higher prices…” commented communications professional Eddie Vale.

“These are the same people who blast Zohran Mamdani for caring about affordability,” noted The Friendly Atheist’s Hemant Mehta.

READ MORE: Trump Stumbles Over ‘God Bless America’ Lyrics at Veterans Day Ceremony

 

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