Major Developments in Trump Cases This Week

February 17, 2024
by RJ Hamster

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FEBRUARY 17, 2024

Sam Dorman

It was a hectic week for former President Donald Trump and his legal battles, which saw consideration from the Supreme Court, a blockbuster testimony from Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis, and a more than $350 million ruling in New York.

Here are some key takeaways from the chaotic week:

Trump’s Legal Battles Are Just Beginning

Justice Arthur Engoron ruled on Friday that Trump, his businesses, his sons, and his associates were liable in the ongoing civil fraud trial brought by Attorney General Letitia James—ordering them to collectively fork over more than $350 million. The ruling temporarily barred both President Trump and his sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., from doing business in New York.

Fanning controversy surrounding Trump’s Georgia case, Fulton County District Attorney Willis took the stand on Thursday, as attorneys pressed her on the romantic relationship—including travels and payments—she had with the attorney, Nathan Wade, that her office hired in its 2020 election case.

Apparently angry, Willis accused the defense of lying about her, warned attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who is representing defendant Michael Roman, not to “be cute” with her, and insisted that she did not “need a man.”

March 25 was set by Judge Juan Merchan on Thursday as the start date for Trump’s “hush money” trial involving adult actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The date places it just weeks after Super Tuesday elections and prompted both Trump and his attorney to raise concerns about how it would impact his campaigning.

The Supreme Court also received a request by Trump to stay an order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which had rejected his claims to presidential immunity in a ruling earlier this month. Chief Justice John Roberts requested the special counsel Jack Smith’s reply, which his office provided, while amicus briefs were filed by 22 state attorneys general and former government officials.

The 2024 Presidential Cycle is Highly Volatile and Unpredictable

Trump’s response has been to allege election interference through his various cases. In response to the New York ruling, he said on Friday that the justice system was “under assault by partisan, deluded, biased Judges and Prosecutors.” Attorney General James, meanwhile, declaredthat “justice has been served.”

The 2024 cycle remains uncertain as none of Trump’s court battles, so far, have disqualified him or resulted in a prison sentence. He’s pursuing multiple appeals, including in Judge Engoron’s case, as well as waiting on the Supreme Court to rule on his Colorado ballot disqualification case while the justices consider delaying his federal election trial, already postponed from its March 4 start date.

A big shakeup could happen in Georgia if Merchant succeeds in disqualifying Willis—presumably leading to a new prosecutor and other potential changes. During testimony on Thursday, Robin Yeartie, one of Ms. Willis’ former friends, alleged that she saw Willis and Wade hugging and kissing in 2021, before when Wade was hired and when they claimed they started dating.

Willis unexpectedly didn’t testify on Friday, but others—her father, Wade’s former law partner Terrence Bradley, and former Georgia Gov. Eugene Barnes—did.

Big Changes Could Be Coming to American Law and Government

American legal precedent could also change dramatically as the Supreme Court evaluates a relatively untested section of the 14th Amendment and Trump’s claim to immunity from criminal prosecution—both cases that could alter the separation of powers as well as impact Trump’s legal schedule and the 2024 presidential race. Experts have speculated that the Court will almost certainly not uphold the disqualification decision, meaning it could rule in a variety of other ways, including deferring to Congress.

The special counsel has called on the Supreme Court to reject Trump’s application to stay the Appeal Court order in his presidential immunity appeal.

President Trump has warned the Appeal Court’s opinion would usher in “destructive cycles of recrimination.” Smith’s office responded in part by quoting the Appeal Court’s opinion in alleging that Trump’s argument would “collapse our system of separated powers by placing the President beyond the reach of all three Branches.”

Institutional trust is also on the line as courts face mounting pressure related to Trump and other high-profile decisions. The 22 state attorneys general told the Supreme Court that Smith’s office and the courts had sped along with Trump’s case in a way that threatened public trust. Smith’s office has defended the timeline for Trump’s federal election prosecution, maintaining in a previous filing that the timing was “far from suspicious” and cited a “lengthy investigation” in defending its August 2023 announcement of the indictment.

To dig deeper into the subject, read the following original reporting by our journalists:

Key Takeaways From the Contentious Fani Willis Disqualification Hearing

By Catherine Yang

Judge Orders Trump, Executives to Pay More Than $350 Million

By Catherine Yang

Trump Speaks Out at Mar-a-Lago After Fraud Ruling

By Catherine Yang

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Major Developments in Trump Cases This Week

Major Developments in Trump Cases This Week

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