Donald Trump calls New York fraud trial ‘terrible witch hunt’
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Donald Trump spent the Saturday before his first major election test attacking judges in his criminal cases.
He called Judge Lewis Kaplan a “bad person” for denying a trial delay, condemned Judge Arthur Engoron’s “sarcasm” in court and branded Judge Tanya Chutkan an “Obama leftwing activist” in a re-post.
The ex-president launched his attacks on Truth Social as he made his way to frigid Iowa for Monday’s caucuses. Having cancelled the bulk of his campaign events due to weather, he held a telerally on Saturday – just as the final state poll showed him with a commanding lead.
It came on the heels of Mr Trump being ordered to payThe New York Times almost $400,000 in legal costs over a failed lawsuit he brought against the paper, three of its journalists, and his niece, Mary Trump.
The former president alleged a breach of confidentiality regarding his tax records but the case was dismissed last year.
Meanwhile, E Jean Carroll’s lawyer has warned Judge Kaplan that Mr Trump wants to “sow chaos” and create a “circus” at next week’s defamation trial, which he plans to attend.
1705249688On the ground in IowaThe Independent’s John Bowden is on the ground in Iowa providing updates ahead of Monday’s caucuses.
Here is his latest dispatch:
Candidates continued their respective last-minute pushes in Iowa on Saturday and into Sunday morning, despite bitter subzero temperatures and a biting wind that left most roads in outright dangerous conditions across the state. Donald Trump cancelled events on Saturday and was due for an in-person appearance Sunday afternoon — his campaign has largely checked out of in=person events as a new NBC/DMR poll shows him leading the state by double digits. Nikki Haley. Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis all pushed ahead in person, working their respective audiences and making a final push for voters on Monday. Ms Haley picked up a weekend endorsement from anti-Trump Republican Larry Hogan, the former governor of Maryland, while Mr DeSantis saw his campaign tailed by liberal pranksters and his poll numbers dropping him into third place.
John Bowden14 January 2024 16:28
1705248030Results of the final Iowa poll The Iowa Caucus, the first major political event of the year, will go ahead on Monday, as parts of the state continue to grapple with blizzard conditions and sub-zero temperatures,
The poll shows former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley narrowly edging Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for second place, although the gap is within the poll’s margin of error, according to NBC.
The poll shows Mr Trump commanding 48 per cent of the vote, with Ms Haley taking 20 per cent and Mr DeSantis on 16 per cent.
Read more from Mike Bedigan:
Megan Sheets14 January 2024 16:00
1705246131WATCH: Trump arrives in IowaDonald Trump touched down in Iowa on Saturday night – appearing ill-dressed for the frigid weather.
“It’s a lot of cold weather,” the ex-president remarked before saying he has “a lot meetings” tonight and slipping past reporters.
Megan Sheets14 January 2024 15:28
1705240625How Trump broke the Iowa caucusesDonald Trump has hosted massive rallies in Iowa, speaking to hundreds and sometimes thousands of people at once. If fewer than 400 attended, it was considered a small event.
The ex-president looks likely to win Monday’s contest handily having done very little, if any, of the small-scale campaigning that used to be required to win. Iowa is no longer universally seen as the stepping stone it once was.
Eric Garcia and Gustaf Kilander explain how Mr Trump upended the state’s caucus system:
How Donald Trump broke the Iowa caucusesEric Garcia and Gustaf Kilander look into if the Iowa caucuses has lost the qualities that gave the state its outsized role in American presidential politics in the first place
Megan Sheets14 January 2024 13:57
1705237200Watch: White House responds after Trump warns of ‘bedlam’ if he loses electionWhite House responds after Trump warns of ‘bedlam’ if he loses electionThe White House has responded to Donald Trump’s claim that there will be “bedlam” in the US if criminal cases deny him returning as president. Speaking to The Independent White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg, Karine Jean-Pierre said: “President Biden has always been absolutely clear. When it comes to this, political violence has no place whatsoever in America…. Failing to condemn or discourage criminal violence, especially after dangerous conspiracies and violent rhetoric, [has] cost law enforcement officers their lives. “If you are a leader in this country, you need to put this country first. You need to put the safety of the American people first.”
Mike Bedigan14 January 2024 13:00
1705230000How Trump’s trial dates and the Republican primaries will intertwineIn a typical presidential election year, candidates will spend the 11 months leading up to election day shaking hands and kissing babies at rallies as the primaries unfold.
But nothing is typical when it comes to Donald Trump.
Instead, the ex-president will be forced to juggle his campaign for the White House while also defending himself in federal and state courts in four different trials that are currently set to occur between January and May.
Kicking off with E Jean Carroll’s damages trial on the same day as the Iowa caucus to his federal classified documents trial one month before the GOP convention, Mr Trump’s jam-packed schedule seemingly leaves little time for him to socialise outside of a courtroom.
How Mr Trump will manage his campaign while convincing voters he’s innocent of it all – including alleged efforts to overturn previous elections in his favour – remains to be seen.
Mike Bedigan14 January 2024 11:00
1705222860Trump must pay nearly $400,000 to The New York TimesDonald Trump must pay The New York Times and three of its reporters nearly $400,000 for their legal fees after his failed lawsuit against them, according to a judge’s order on Thursday.
The former president’s lawsuit against the newspaper and its reporters as well as his niece Mary Trump accused them of an “insidious plot” fuelled by a “personal vendetta” to improperly obtain tax records for a series of stories published in 2018.
Last year, New York County Supreme Court Judge Robert R Reed dismissed the case against the newspaper, finding that the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation was clearly protected by the First Amendment.
Alex Woodward reports:
Mike Bedigan14 January 2024 09:01
1705215600Has Trump already chosen a running mate?During the town hall, Mr Trump hinted that he has made his mind up about who to tap to be his running mate – but refused to spill the details to hosts Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier.
Mike Bedigan14 January 2024 07:00
1705212047Watch: Trump roasted by Stephen Colbert for civil fraud trial rantTrump roasted by Stephen Colbert for civil fraud trial rant
Mike Bedigan14 January 2024 06:00
1705208400Iowa Governor used a burner account to trash TrumpIowa Republican Gov Kim Reynolds has been using an X account — unassociated with her official position — to roast former president Donald Trump.
The New York Times first reported the existence of the burner account, which has since been taken down. The Independent has reached out to Ms Reynolds’ office.
Kelly Rissman reports:
Mike Bedigan14 January 2024 05:00
