Congress is leaving town ahead of another possible Trump indictment
Congress is leaving Washington for a six-week recess today, giving Republicans a convenient reprieve from throngs of reporters in the halls of the Capitol ahead of another possible Trump indictment. (Though there's no official indication that the two issues are related.)
The House was originally scheduled to be in tomorrow, but it has decided to leave a day early and will close up for the August recess in the next few hours, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., announced. It was supposed to vote on another government funding bill Friday but has decided to punt that to September.
Jan. 6 defendant who wanted to ‘grab Nancy Pelosi by the hair’ arrested
As we await news on a potential Trump indictment, cases against Jan. 6 defendants continue to be unsealed.
The latest case is that of Michael St. Pierre, who the FBI said posted a video saying he wanted to “rush the Capitol, to grab Nancy Pelosi by the hair and f---ing twirl her around."
Trump invokes 'many lawyers' in defense in investigation
The former president’s vague reference on Truth Social to being “advised by many lawyers” is notable.
In this case, he may try to argue that he was told by attorneys — such as Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark and Kenneth Cheseboro, among others — that he could try to undo the election results by having state legislatures put forth “alternative” slates of electors after the 2020 presidential election.
He could claim that he was merely relying on their advice that the conduct was legal, so he can’t be prosecuted if their advice turned out to be unlawful.
The problem for him is that the Jan. 6 congressional investigation shows many of these lawyers were told what they were doing had no legal merit.
The other snag is that if an advice-of-counsel defense is raised, the prosecutors could be able to pierce the privilege between Trump and his lawyers to discover precisely what he was advised and when.
Trump says on Truth Social that his lawyers had a 'productive meeting' with the DOJ
Trump said in a post on Truth Social just after 1 p.m. ET that his attorneys had a "productive meeting" with Justice Department prosecutors this morning.
He said his lawyers spent the meeting "explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong, was advised by many lawyers, and that an Indictment of me would only further destroy our Country."
"No indication of notice was given during the meeting — Do not trust the Fake News on anything!" he wrote.
Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement that NBC News’ report that the former president’s lawyers were told to expect an indictment was “incorrect.”
U.S. marshals meet with law enforcement partners outside courthouse
U.S. Marshals are meeting with other members of law enforcement at the Prettyman Federal Courthouse ahead of a possible indictment of Trump.
Officials from the U.S. Park Police and the Washington Metropolitan Police Department were present.
Trump lawyers meet with prosecutors in Smith's office
Trump's attorneys Todd Blanche and John Lauro have met with prosecutors in Smith's office, according to three sources.
The lawyers were told to expect an indictment, two sources said.
Rudy Giuliani concedes he made ‘false’ statements about Georgia election workers
Rudy Giuliani conceded in a court filing Tuesday that he made “false” statements about two Georgia 2020 election workers who are suing him over baseless claims of fraud he made against them.
“Defendant Giuliani, for the purposes of litigation only, does not contest that, to the extent the statements were statements of fact and other wise actionable, such actionable factual statements were false,” Giuliani wrote in a signed stipulation that he said was intended to “avoid unnecessary expenses in litigating what he believes to be unnecessary disputes.”
Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, have said their lives were turned upside down when conspiracy theorists, as well as then-President Donald Trump and his ally Giuliani, claimed they had committed election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. A brief, heavily edited clip of security video was widely circulated online and by Trump allies as supposed proof.
Former lawmaker says Trump asked him to overturn the 2020 election but so far special counsel hasn’t contacted him
Former Rep. Mo Brooks is “mildly surprised” Smith’s office has not sought a meeting with him to discuss his accusations that Trump urged him to help “rescind” the 2020 election and “violate the U.S. Constitution and federal law.”
Brooks, a Republican who represented an Alabama district in Congress, said in an interview that he would meet with prosecutors if they ask.
“Yeah, if they asked me to, I’d explain what I know about it. Whether it’s relevant or material, I’m not sure,” he said, continuing: “I was shocked [Trump] was so blatant about it — illegal conduct.”
Former Trump DOJ official Richard Donoghue has met with the special counsel’s office
Former senior Justice Department official Richard Donoghue says he has been interviewed by special counsel Jack Smith’s office but has not been called to testify before the federal grand jury investigating Jan. 6 and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Donoghue, who confirmed the meeting with Smith’s office Monday, was acting deputy attorney general near the end of the Trump administration. He testified before the House Jan. 6 committee that investigated the Capitol riot.
The special counsel’s office declined to comment to NBC News.