Trump claims he can declassify top secret documents just ‘by thinking about it’
Donald Trump has claimed that as president he had the authority to declassify top secret documents just “by thinking about it”, as he blamed banks themselves for failing to check his company’s valuations.
He was speaking on Fox News after New York’s attorney general accused the Trump Organisation of inflating his net worth by billions of dollars and habitually misleading banks.
Dubbing it “the art of the steal”, Letitia James in her suit has also named his children Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump as defendants.
The 222-page suit detailed instances of alleged fraud, many involving claims made on annual financial statements that Mr Trump would give to banks, business associates and financial magazines as proof of his riches as he sought loans and deals.
Also under probe for removing government-owned documents from the White House and taking them to his Florida estate, Mr Trump told Sean Hannity that “there doesn’t have to be a process” for declassifying documents “if you’re the president of the United States”.
Trump says bank shouldn’t have relied on his numbers
Former president Donald Trump on Wednesday blamed banks for lending money based on bogus valuations after he was sued for “numerous acts of fraud”.
Trump says banks shouldn’t have relied on his numbers for tax valuations
Trump says his organisation gave ‘a very big disclaimer… a very powerful disclaimer’
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 18:15
Jan 6 rioter who testified for House panel sentenced to probation
Stephen Ayres, a former Donald Trump supporter, who participated in the attack on the U.S. Capitol and testified before the January 6 committee, was sentenced to 24 months probation and 100 hours of community service on Thursday.
He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building in June.
During a virtual sentencing hearing, Ayres was emotional and expressed remorse for his participation in Capitol riot.
He told Judge John Bates that he wanted to apologise to “the court and the American people.”
“I went down there that day not with the intention to cause any violence or anything like that,” Ayres said.
“But I did get caught up on all the stuff online, on Facebook, which ultimately I felt like was steering me in the wrong direction.”
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 17:51
When in doubt, or backed into a corner, reach for an old classic
Truly one of the most bizarre moments of the Sean Hannity interview with Donald Trump was when the former president said this:
There’s also a lot of speculation because of what they did, the severity of the FBI coming and raiding Mar-a-Lago. Were they looking for the Hillary Clinton emails that were deleted but they are around someplace? They may have thought that it was in there!
Combined with his claim that he could declassify documents just by thinking about them, it really is quite staggering that anyone could say such things while keeping a straight face.
Trump bizarrely suggests FBI looked for Hillary Clinton’s emails at Mar-a-Lago
‘Were they looking for the Hillary Clinton emails that were deleted but they are around some place?’
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 17:45
Trump claims FBI took his last will and testament from Mar-a-Lago
Former president Donald Trump claimed the FBI agents who executed a court-authorised search of his Palm Beach, Florida home took his last will and testament in addition to the 100 classified documents found in his office and a nearby storage room.
“They took a lot. I think they took my will. I found out yesterday,” said the twice-impeached ex-president during an appearance on Fox News’ host Sean Hannity’s eponymous nightly programme.
Trump claims FBI took his last will and testament in Mar-a-Lago search
At mention of Trump’s will, Sean Hannity asks: ‘Am I in it?’
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 17:22
Three key questions Ginni Thomas must answer and the Jan 6 committee must ask
Members of the January 6 committee announced this week that Virginia ‘Ginni’ Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, had agreed to testify under oath.
John Bowden looks at what questions must be answered by Ms Thomas.
Three key questions Ginni Thomas must answer in January 6 panel interview
Members of the January 6 committee announced this week that Virginia ‘Ginni’ Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, had agreed to testify under oath.
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 17:00
Trump believes he can declassify top secret documents just ‘by thinking about it’
Little known fact, apparently the presidency gives you magical telekinetic powers…
Trump says he can declassify secret papers just ‘by thinking about it’
‘If you’re the president of the United States, you can declasify just by saying ‘it’s declassified’, even by thinking about it’
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 16:45
Trump says he balked at paying even ‘small amount’ to settle New York tax fraud probe
Former president Donald Trump on Wednesday said he rejected an offer to settle the three-year investigation into whether his eponymous real estate company committed massive amounts of tax fraud because paying “even a small amount” would be akin to admitting guilt.
Andrew Feinberg reports on what the former president told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday night.
Trump says he balked at settling New York tax fraud probe
Former president Donald Trump on Wednesday said he rejected an offer to settle the three-year investigation into whether his eponymous real estate company committed massive amounts of tax fraud because paying “even a small amount” would be akin to admitting guilt.
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 16:15
The 20 properties in Trump’s alleged fraud scheme
Donald Trump’s real estate empire engaged in an “astounding” level of fraud and deceptive business practises over more than a decade, during which the former president and his associates “grossly and fraudulently” inflated the value of his properties to obtain tax, loan and insurance incentives while boosting his financial ambitions, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday.
The Independent’s Alex Woodward combed through the 222-page document. These are the properties and assets that the office of the attorney general alleges were central to a fraudulent scheme orchestrated by Mr Trump and his business allies.
These are the 20 properties in Donald Trump’s alleged fraud scheme
New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the former president with allegations of ‘staggering’ fraud and ‘grossly inflated’ assets
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 16:00
‘Senator Cruz voted against this’: White House trolls Ted Cruz for boasting about new highway
The White House Twitter account called out Ted Cruz after he praised a new highway project that he actually voted against.
The US Senator from Texas has seemingly been trying to take credit for the “Ports to Plains” project, leading to the White House trolling the Republican politician.
Graeme Massie reports on the senator’s hypocrisy.
White House twitter account trolls Ted Cruz for boasting about new highway
Mr Cruz’s fellow US Senator from Texas, John Cornyn, did vote for the “Ports to Plains” project
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 15:45
Appeals court says DoJ can use classified documents in criminal probe of Trump
A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a Florida federal judge’s order which effectively barred the Department of Justice from using classified documents found at former president Donald Trump’s Palm Beach home to further a criminal investigation into him and his associates.
Andrew Feinberg reports on Wednesday night’s ruling.
Appeals court says DOJ can use classified documents in Trump criminal probe
‘For our part, we cannot discern why Plaintiff would have an individual interest in or need for any of the one-hundred documents with classification markings’
Oliver O’Connell22 September 2022 15:15