USA

Guilty As Charged! Trump Convicted in Hush-Money Case, Awaits Sentencing

Published

3 weeks ago

May 31, 2024

Eric

A New York jury convicted Donald Trump on all charges in his hush-money case on Thursday in a seismic development barely five months ahead of the election where he seeks to recapture the White House.

The verdict makes Trump the first criminally convicted former US president but does not prevent him from campaigning for another term.

The first criminal trial of a former US president ended with the 77-year-old Trump found guilty on each of the 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a payment meant to silence porn star Stormy Daniels.Trump – who was released without bail and is all but certain to appeal – initially sat still in the drab Manhattan courtroom, shoulders dipping.

Addressing reporters outside minutes later, though, he branded the result a “disgrace” and “rigged,” vowing that the “real verdict” would come from voters in the November 5 presidential election.

The conviction thrusts the United States into uncharted political territory.

However, it does not bar Trump from his continuing his White House run, even in the unlikely event that Judge Juan Merchan sentences him to prison.

Sentencing was set for July 11 – right before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is due to receive the party’s formal nomination to face Democratic President Joe Biden in the election.

Biden’s campaign issued a statement saying that the trial showed “no one is above the law.” It added that “the threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater.”

The 12-member jury deliberated for more than 11 hours over two days before announcing the unanimous conclusion within a matter of minutes.

Merchan thanked the jurors for completing the “difficult and stressful task.”

Their identities had been kept secret throughout proceedings, a rare practice more often seen in cases involving mafia or other violent defendants.

– Election conspiracy –

Trump was convicted of falsifying business records to reimburse his lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment to Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election, when her claim to have had sex with him could have proved fatal to his campaign.

The trial featured lengthy testimony from the adult performer, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford and who described to the court in graphic detail what she says was a 2006 sexual encounter with the married Trump.

Prosecutors successfully laid out a case alleging that the hush money and the illegal covering up of the payment was part of a broader crime to prevent voters from knowing about Trump’s behaviour.

Trump’s defence attorneys had countered that “trying to influence an election” was simply “democracy” and that the former president did nothing wrong.

– Campaigning in courthouse –

The trial has distracted Trump from his campaign to unseat Biden.

However, he milked the media attention throughout, with daily speeches in front of the cameras outside the courtroom in which he complained about being a political victim.

Yet after teasing the prospect for weeks, Trump — who denied ever having sex with Daniels at a 2006 celebrity golf tournament — opted not to testify.

Keith Gaddie, a political analyst and professor at Texas Christian University, said the political impact of the shocking events has yet to be determined.

“It probably doesn’t move a lot of votes, but in particular states with particular swing votes, it could matter around the margins. So in particularly tight races, it can tip things back from one direction to the other,” she said.

The Republican, who made his name as a brash real estate mogul before a stunning ascent to the nation’s highest office in the 2016 election, now faces prison or, more likely, probation.

In theory, he could face up to four years in jail for each count of falsifying business records but legal experts said as a first-time offender he is unlikely to go behind bars.

An appeal could take months to complete.

Should he win the presidency he will not be able to pardon himself, given that the case was not brought by the federal government but by the state of New York, where only the governor could clear his name.

Trump also faces federal and state charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election won by Biden, and for hoarding secret documents after leaving the White House.

AFP

USA

Gunman Kills 10 in US Walmart Shooting

Published

2 years ago

November 23, 2022

Eric

A gunman shot and killed multiple people in a Walmart store late Tuesday in the US state of Virginia, police said, adding that the single shooter suspect is also dead.

The outburst of gun violence in the city of Chesapeake comes just before Americans celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, and follows another mass shooting at an LGBTQ club in Colorado late Saturday that left five people dead.

“We were able to find multiple fatalities and multiple injured parties,” Chesapeake Police Department officer Leo Kosinski told reporters at the scene, saying rapid response officers and tactical teams entered the store “immediately” after arriving on the scene.

“We believe it is a single shooter and that single shooter is deceased at this time,” he said, without clarifying how the suspected shooter died.

Emergency calls were first made just after 10:00 pm Tuesday (0300 GMT Wednesday), while the store was still open.

News footage showed a major police presence at the scene with Kosinski saying several officers and investigators were carefully sweeping the store and securing the area.

The exact number of fatalities remained unclear. Kosinski told reporters that police believed no more than 10 people were killed.

Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, issued a statement early Wednesday saying: “We are shocked at this tragic event.”

The company added that it was “praying for those impacted, the community and our associates. We’re working closely with law enforcement, and we are focused on supporting our associates.”

AFP

USA

Trump Declares Intention to Contest 2024 Presidential Election

Published

2 years ago

November 16, 2022

Eric

Donald Trump pulled the trigger on a third White House run on Tuesday night, setting the stage for a bruising Republican nomination battle after a poor midterm election showing by his hand-picked candidates weakened his grip on the party.

Trump officially launched a campaign for president in 2024, filing papers with the Federal Election Commission in which he declared himself a candidate for the presidency and established a new campaign committee.

Trump is expected to give a speech later in the evening at his Florida private club, Mar-a-Lago.

“America’s comeback starts right now,” the 76-year-old former US President told hundreds of supporters gathered in an ornate American flag-draped ballroom at his palatial Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

“The voting will be much different. Are you getting ready?” Trump said.

“This will not be my campaign. This will be our campaign all together,” he said to the cheering crowd.

Agence France-Presse reports that Trump’s unusually early entry into the White House race is being seen in Washington as an attempt to get the jump on other Republicans seeking to be the party flag-bearer in 2024 – and to stave off potential criminal charges.

Republicans are licking their wounds after disappointing midterms, widely blamed on the underperformance of Trump-anointed candidates, and some are openly asking whether Trump – with his divisive brand of politics and mess of legal woes – is the right person to carry the party colors next time around.

Several possible 2024 primary rivals are circling, chief among them the governor of Florida Ron DeSantis, who bucked the tide and won a resounding reelection victory on November 8.

Trump, who lost the 2020 elections to Democrat Joe Biden after being impeached twice by the House of Representatives, launches his latest White House bid with several potential handicaps.

He is the target of multiple investigations into his conduct before, during and after his first term as president – which could ultimately result in his disqualification.

These include allegations of fraud by his family business, his role in last year’s attack on the US Capitol, his attempt to overturn the 2020 elections, and his stashing of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

With Trump now a declared candidate, Biden’s attorney general, Merrick Garland, may be forced to name a special counsel to pursue the various investigations into the former president launched by the Department of Justice.

The Punch

Headline

At The Glitzy Pan-American Leadership Awards (PAALA) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Published

2 years ago

October 22, 2022

Eric

What a great day of honour and glamour it turned out to be when Africans and African in Diaspora gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA for the Pan-African American Leadership Award ( PAALA).

Apart from the colourful nature of the occasion that unfolded at the Holiday Inn, Atlanta Rosewell, history was also made as this was its maiden edition.

Attended by leading politicians, technocrats and business moguls from across the world, the event was exclusively designed to celebrate and recognize exceptional leaders of African descent and their contribution to the growth of African American communities in the United States of America and the African continent, which is in line with resolutions of Pan African congresses for the benefit of black heritage.

Apart from the inspirational speeches and excellent networking opportunities, the major highlight of the ceremony was the awards segment with awardees such as: Senator Donzella James Robinson, H.E. Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Amb. (Dr) Amina Smaila, Aare Dele Momodu Gwendoline Deavor, Mr. Atai Albert, Dr. Sona Konate, Uwem Inyang, Linda Middleton, Andre Dickens, Dolapo Akinropo, Dr. Florence Fasan, Dr Jeffrey Obomeghie, Anthony Waadah and Soweto Street Beat.

According to Elisha Attai, the Executive Producer, Pan African American Leadership Award is an initiative of African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO) to preserve the ideals of Pan Africanism ideals.

According to him “PAALA set the tone for the sustainability of shared value for africapitalism, sustained democracy, and the global competitiveness of the African continent.

“We strongly believe that the recognition of exceptional leaders of African descent and their contributions to the growth of African American communities in the United States of America and the African continent is important for their collective growth.

He also used the opportunity to express
deep gratitude and congratulations to the #paala2022 team for the hard work and commitment in making this historic project a success.

In addition, he expressed special appreciation to our Chief Host, Senator Donzella James Robinson for commiting everything within her power to make the launch of this new baby of AWLO a success despite he health challenge.

He added “We love you, wish you speedy recovery and see you at PAALA 2023”
We are truly humbled by the love, leadership, motivation and believe in AWLO movement as shown by our special guest of honour , Her Excellency Ms Nomusa Dube -Ncube, the first female Premier (Governor) of the Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa who was deservedly celebrated last night with the Honorary Citizenship of the State of Georgia, and also the Pan-African American Leadership Award along side Chief Dr Dele MOMODU, the President of Ovation Media Group, Nigeria.

It was such a powerful, exclusively classic night to celebrate and recognize exceptional leaders of African descent and their contribution to the growth of African American communities in the United States of America and the African continent, which is in alignment with resolutions of Pan African congresses for the benefit of black heritage.

The pioneer PAALA 2022 awardees are, Senator Donzella James Robinson, H.E. Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Amb. Dr Amina Smaila, Aare Chief Dele MOMODU, Gwendoline Deavor, Mr. Atai Albert, Dr. Sona Konate, Uwem Inyang, Linda Middleton, Andre Dickens, Dolapo Akinropo, Dr. Florence Fasan, Dr Jeffrey Obomeghie, Anthony Waadah and Soweto Street Beat.

The Pan African American Leadership Award is an initiative of African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO) to preserve the Pan Africanism ideals.

PAALA set the tone for the sustainability of shared value for africapitalism, sustained democracy, and the global competitiveness of the African continent.

We strongly believe that the recognition of exceptional leaders of African descent and their contributions to the growth of African American communities in the United States of America and the African continent is in alignment with resolutions of Pan African congresses for the benefit of black heritage.

We look forward to PAALA 2023

Dr. Elisha Attai
Founder of AWLO/PAALA