From the BBC:
“Donald Trump pleads not guilty in arraignment over
classified documents”
Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to historic charges of
mishandling sensitive files at a federal court in Miami, Florida. Mr Trump is
the first US president - current or former - to be hit with a federal criminal
indictment. Arms crossed, in a dark suit and red tie, he sat in stone-faced
silence for his second court appearance this year. The Republican later travelled
to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he addressed supporters. Against
a backdrop of American flags, Mr Trump, who is the frontrunner for the 2024
Republican presidential nomination, told the assembled crowd he had "every
right" to hold the classified documents, but "hadn't had a chance to
go through all the boxes". He said he followed the law and went on to list
series of unsubstantiated claims as well as grievances against President Joe
Biden and his former rival Hillary Clinton. Earlier in the day before leaving
Miami, Mr Trump, on his social media platform Truth Social, thanked the city
for "such a warm welcome on such a sad day for our country".
Just hours before, in a 13th floor room of a federal
courthouse in downtown Miami, a sombre, subdued Mr Trump looked on while his
lawyer entered a plea of not guilty on 37 counts of illegally retaining
classified documents and obstructing the government's efforts to get them back.
"We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty," the attorney, Todd
Blanche, told the judge. Mr Trump's co-defendant, Walt Nauta - a close aide
charged with six criminal counts in the case - was sitting at the same table as
the former president. On the opposite side of the room sat the entire
prosecution team, including special counsel Jack Smith, who announced the
indictment last week.
The former president, 76, was allowed to leave court without
any restrictions to domestic or international travel. Prosecutors told
Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman the defendant was not considered a flight
risk. But Mr Trump will not be allowed to discuss the case with Mr Nauta. After
the hearing, the Republican flashed supporters a thumbs up as his motorcade
left the courthouse. As the drove away, an anti-Trump protester dressed in a
prison jumpsuit ran into the street in front of the Trump motorcade before he
was pushed away by security - perhaps the most unruly moment of a largely
peaceful day. Mr Trump and his security detail travelled directly to
Versailles, a popular Cuban restaurant in Miami's Little Havana, where he was
greeted by a throng of supporters who lined up for photos with the former
president. He appeared to take part in a prayer with some patrons, and was
treated to a chorus of Happy Birthday to You, ahead of his 77th on Wednesday. Alina
Habba, a lawyer attorney for the former president, repeated the former
president's claims that the charges were politically motivated as she addressed
media outside court. "We are at a turning point in our nation's history,
the targeting prosecution of a leading political opponent is the type of thing
you see in dictatorships like Cuba and Venezuela," she told reporters. "What
is being done to the President Trump should terrify all citizens of this
country," she added.
Before the hearing, court officials said Mr Trump would not
have a mugshot taken but would be digitally fingerprinted and asked to submit a
DNA sample by swab. A trial date has not yet been set, though the case is still
earmarked for Aileen Cannon, a federal district judge in South Florida who was
appointed by Mr Trump. The charges, which were made public on Friday, came
after FBI agents found more than 100 documents with classified markings at Mr
Trump's private Florida estate Mar-a-Lago in August. They allegedly contained
information about the defence and weapons capabilities of both the US and
foreign countries, as well as plans for possible retaliation in response to a
foreign attack. Prosecutors accuse him of hoarding the files, storing some in a
ballroom and a bathroom, and of engaging in a conspiracy with an aide to
obstruct the FBI's inquiry. Mr Trump's legal troubles appear not to have
diminished his support among Republican voters. A poll by the BBC's US partner
CBS found 76% of likely Republican primary voters were more concerned about the
indictment being politically motivated than about the documents posing a
national security risk.
^ The same people who once shouted “Lock Her Up!” for Hilary
Clinton are now keeping silent or supporting Trump. Of course using a personal
e-mail for official e-mails is wrong it is not nearly as horrible as keeping dozens
of boxes willed with official and classified documents that aren’t yours and
that, when kept in unsecure locations (like your hotel) cause a National Security
Risk. ^
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.