Ashleigh Merchant, a "badass" Georgia criminal defense attorney, is set to challenge the racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants by alleging a conflict of interest between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her appointed special prosecutor, Nathan Wade, whom she reportedly had a romantic relationship with. Merchant's motion demands the dismissal of charges against her client, GOP political operative Mike Roman, and could potentially impact the entire case. The hearing on Thursday will determine if Willis and Wade's relationship constitutes a conflict of interest, potentially leading to the case's end. Merchant's proactive approach and thorough investigation have put her in the national spotlight, with the potential to affect the outcome of the high-stakes case.
A report and newly revealed records indicate that foreign governments, notably China and Saudi Arabia, spent at least $7.8 million at Donald Trump's properties during his presidency. This spending, documented by the House Oversight Committee, raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest as Trump campaigns for a second term. The expenditures were made at his hotels in Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, and New York properties.
House Democrats released a report showing that the Chinese government and its state-controlled entities spent over $5.5 million at Trump-owned properties during his presidency, the most from any foreign country. The payments raise concerns about potential efforts to influence the former president, especially since Trump did not divest from his businesses upon taking office. The report also highlights that Trump did not impose sanctions on a Chinese bank that was a tenant in Trump Tower, despite its alleged involvement in helping North Korea evade US sanctions. The Chinese government insists it requires Chinese companies to comply with local laws and regulations overseas. The Trump Organization has not yet commented on the findings.
Anita Dunn, a top adviser to President Joe Biden and co-founder of the communications firm SKDK, provided "crisis communications" assistance to Michael Madigan, the former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, while her firm was also supporting a victim of sexual harassment through its partnership with the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund. Dunn and her firm earned over $200,000 for their work with Madigan, who was being sued by a former employee for retaliation. The revelation of this conflict of interest has raised questions about Dunn's ethics and her connections to men accused of harassment in the past. SKDK initially defended their work for Madigan but later apologized, acknowledging the error. The trial also revealed that Dunn had provided unpaid PR advice to Harvey Weinstein and participated in a book by journalist Mark Halperin, who had faced accusations of workplace sexual harassment.
