Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis filed a motion to block an appeal of a ruling allowing her to continue leading the state election interference case against former President Donald J. Trump. The case took a detour as Trump and his co-defendants sought to disqualify Willis due to her romantic relationship with a lawyer involved in the prosecution, but a judge ruled that no actual conflict of interest existed. Willis defended the judge's decision and argued that there was no trial court error, while Trump and his co-defendants have asked for permission to seek an appeal of a recent ruling that declined to throw out the case on First Amendment grounds.
Democrats have introduced a bill to rename a Miami prison as the "Donald J. Trump Federal Correctional Institution," in a symbolic move to criticize the former president.
Donald J. Trump wins the Arizona Republican primary with 77.2% of the votes, securing 43 delegates, while Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis receive 19.3% and 1.7% of the votes, respectively. The results by county show Trump leading in most areas. Polls closed at 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. Eastern time, and the majority of votes were reported by the next morning. Voters could participate in the primary of the party they are registered with, and independents were allowed to choose a primary to participate in.
Judge Aileen M. Cannon has yet to set a trial date in the complex case accusing Donald J. Trump of mishandling classified materials, sparking concerns about her decision-making. The delay in setting a trial date, along with other unresolved issues on her docket, has raised questions about her handling of the case. Additionally, her recent order for dueling jury instructions and her interest in jury issues before deciding on the trial start date have added to the confusion and concern surrounding her decisions.
Donald J. Trump wins the Georgia Republican primary with 84.5% of the votes, while Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis receive 13.3% and 1.2% respectively. Most early voting occurred before Haley dropped out, and she received a modest share of early and absentee votes but less than 5% of Election Day ballots. Trump's lead is evident across various counties in Georgia.
Allen H. Weisselberg, a key figure in the Trump Organization, has agreed to plead guilty to perjury charges in a deal with Manhattan prosecutors. Despite his loyalty to former President Donald J. Trump, Weisselberg is not expected to implicate his former boss. The plea comes in the midst of ongoing legal battles, including a civil case where a judge imposed a significant financial penalty on Trump and Weisselberg. This development adds another twist to Weisselberg's legal troubles as he faces multiple law enforcement agencies in both civil and criminal trials.
Donald J. Trump wins the Idaho Republican caucus with 84.9% of the votes, securing 32 delegates, while Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis receive 13.2% and 1.3% of the votes respectively. Idaho's 32 Republican delegates will be awarded to Trump, and the state party officials aim to announce the overall winner by 8 p.m. Eastern time, with more detailed results to follow.
An envelope containing white powder was found at the New York State Supreme Courthouse, where Justice Arthur F. Engoron, who oversaw Donald J. Trump’s civil fraud trial, has offices. The building was not evacuated, and no injuries were reported. This incident follows previous security concerns involving the judge, including a hoax bomb threat at his home and a small fire set in the courthouse. In the ongoing investigation, former President Trump offered a $100 million bond to pause the $450 million penalty imposed on him in the civil fraud trial.
Fani T. Willis, the district attorney overseeing the Georgia prosecution of Donald J. Trump, delivered a raw and combative testimony in court, refuting allegations of a disqualifying conflict of interest. During her three-hour testimony, she presented herself as a woman in full, engaging in tense exchanges with defense lawyers and emphasizing her independence and equality in her relationship with the special prosecutor on the case.
A judge in Atlanta will decide whether Fulton County district attorney Fani T. Willis should be disqualified from leading the prosecution of former President Donald J. Trump on election interference charges due to a conflict of interest. If disqualified, her entire office would be affected, and the case could be reassigned to another Georgia prosecutor who would have the authority to continue, modify, or drop the case altogether. The decision on who would take up the case would fall to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, with the possibility of appointing a prosecutor or finding a lawyer in private practice to replace Ms. Willis.
Special counsel Jack Smith urged the Supreme Court to reject former President Donald J. Trump's request to pause an appeals court ruling in the case regarding alleged criminal efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The court's decision on whether to pause the ruling will determine if trial proceedings can resume while the Supreme Court considers whether to hear a petition seeking review of the ruling itself. Any significant delays in the federal election-interference case could impact the 2024 campaign season or extend past the election.
Speaker Mike Johnson opposes the emerging bipartisan immigration deal, stating that it would be "dead on arrival" in the House, and blaming the opposition of former President Donald J. Trump for its likely failure. He also indicated that the House would instead focus on impeaching the homeland security secretary and emphasized the need for an immigration crackdown bill. The fate of the deal and additional aid for Ukraine remains uncertain as hard-right House Republicans also oppose it.
Judge Tanya S. Chutkan declined to hold prosecutors in contempt in the federal case accusing former President Donald J. Trump of plotting to subvert the 2020 election, after they continued filing motions and turning over evidence despite the case being put on hold. The judge ordered both sides not to file any more "substantive" motions without first asking for permission, reflecting a larger fight over the timing of the case and whether it will go to trial as scheduled in March.
John Anthony Castro, a Republican presidential candidate known for attempting to disqualify Donald J. Trump from primary ballots, has been arrested on federal charges of preparing false tax returns for clients. Facing 33 felony counts, each carrying a potential three-year prison sentence, Castro has made headlines for his legal challenges against Trump's eligibility despite his minimal campaign funds and lack of serious competition to leading Republican candidates.
During a Fox News town-hall event, Nikki Haley stood her ground against challenges to her policy views, taking swipes at both Donald J. Trump and Ron DeSantis. With the Iowa caucuses approaching, Haley aims to secure a second-place finish to propel her campaign. She defended her positions on abortion, Social Security, Medicare, and an internationalist foreign policy, while responding to attacks from a Trump super PAC and the Trump campaign.
