Raw Story

Two of Donald Trump's personal lawyers who were rewarded with plum appointments in the Department of Justice may be sidelined from dealing with the ongoing hush money trial overseen by Judge Juan Merchan.

Speaking with host Ana Cabrera, MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin explained the ethical bind attorneys Todd Blanche, nominated to be Deputy Attorney General and Emil Bove, slated for Principal Associate Deputy AG, will find themselves in as they are poised to assume their new roles.

"Let's not forget Trump has tapped two of his defense attorneys in the hush money case, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, for senior roles in the Justice Department in his incoming administration. If this case does drag out, what impact could that have?" the MSNBC host asked.

ALSO READ: A giant middle finger from a tiny craven man

"I think it causes a conflict of interest for Todd Blanche and Emil Bove because, if for example Ana, they can continue to brief the issue about whether this case should exist into a future Trump presidency, if Todd Blanche and Emil Bove are then in the Department of Justice, the department itself will have an interest in getting involved in the case on behalf of the executive office of the president."

"There are interests for the office of the president that are different than the interests that Trump as an individual has," she added. "And Emil Bove and Todd Blanche having represented the president in his personal capacity will have that conflict and may have to even recuse themselves from the department's involvement in this case in the future."

Watch below or at the link.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) revealed this week that Republican senators had developed a plan to confirm President-elect Donald Trump's nominations, including former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) as attorney general, before the new president is sworn in.

During a Wednesday interview on Real America's Voice, Tuberville vowed to overcome the objections of Democrats despite sexual misconduct allegations against Gaetz and Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.

"We're in charge, and if we back up, it's like this Matt Gaetz and Pete Hexeth, all these people that are being nominated," Tuberville said. "Hey, it should be a no-brainer. Prove to me he's a criminal. If you do, I won't vote for him. But until then, he's in."

Host Steve Bannon argued that Republican senators had to be ready to confirm Trump's nominations before his inauguration.

"And then on the 20th, you hit them with a third wave of flood the zone with executive orders and everything the president's going to do," Bannon opined. "Would you be supportive of that to get the confirmations of at least these frontline big things starting right after you guys are sworn in?"

"Oh, yeah. That'll be done. We've already planned that," Tuberville replied. "We're sworn in January 3rd, but I think it's a couple of days after that. But we should have the sec def, the attorney general, the secretary treasurer."

"You put AG in that?" Bannon asked, referring to Gaetz's nomination to be attorney general.

"Oh, number one," Tuberville insisted. "The Democrats did this last time."

ALSO READ: A giant middle finger from a tiny craven man

"Not one Democrat voted against any nominees," he added. "We're fighting for our country. And we better wake up and smell the roses, because if we don't, we're going to lose this country."

"It's going to be gone. And we're not going to have the second chance of a Donald Trump."

Watch the video below from Real America's Voice or click the link here.

Donald Trump's lawyers submitted a filing on Wednesday demanding that the guilty verdict in the New York "hush money" trial be vacated because it would eventually be dismissed anyway.

Law 360's Frank G. Runyeon posted the argument, which claims that as a president-elect, Trump enjoys the same benefits as a sitting president. It means he is "completely immune from any criminal process," the filing says.

"Immediate dismissal of this case is mandated by the federal Constitution, the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, and the interests of justice, in order to facilitate the orderly transition of executive Power following President Trump's overwhelming victory in the 2024 Presidential election."

Also Read: Trump allies call for DOJ to go after president-elect’s political enemies

Legal analysts said on Tuesday they don't anticipate this argument will be effective, as the Supreme Court's "presidential immunity" decision outlined "official acts" that are protected. Trump wasn't president when he committed the acts in 2016, and his trial and verdict took place when he also wasn't president.

Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg similarly wrote that they support Trump's lawyers in making the argument, but they oppose the argument on its merits.

"No current law establishes that a president's temporary immunity from prosecution requires dismissal of a posttrial criminal proceeding and where we are now, that was initiated at a time when the defendant was not immune from criminal prosecution and based on unofficial conduct for which the defendant is also not immune," Bragg's letter said.

Trump's lawyers imply that Bragg is only continuing onward to bolster his own political campaign, which won't take place until the June primary in 2025 and ultimately in November. He's heavily favored to win, the New York Post reported over the weekend.

"As D.A. Bragg engages in his own election campaign, DANY appears to not yet be ready to dismiss this politically-motivated and fatally flawed case, which is what is mandated by the law and will happen as justice takes its course," claimed Trump's lawyers.

The case was already decided by a jury, which found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts. Trump was set to be sentenced after the election. As Bragg's letter said Tuesday, there are no rules or laws that say a state judge must ignore a verdict and cannot sentence a former president or a president-elect.

— (@)

Donald Trump managed to win a second term in large part due to the frustration of the electorate over prices — but there's a big economic crisis looming over the president-elect's head that could end up defeating him, Heather Long wrote for The Washington Post.

That crisis is the cost of a home.

"The housing crisis is real," wrote Long. "It’s one of the worst times to buy a home in 40 years. The median home price is now $420,000, nearly $100,000 more than four years ago. Mortgage rates are also up significantly from 2020. And nearly everyone agrees that the United States is short millions of homes."

Trump has boasted that under his presidency, people will be able to get 2 percent APR on a mortgage — but right now it's trending the wrong way, back up to 7 percent, driven in part by bond markets fearful Trump's tariffs will drive up the price of construction materials.

The fact is, Long continued, "High housing costs have become part of the economic 'vibes' — alongside gas and grocery prices — that people see on a regular basis. It’s easy to check housing apps for the latest prices. People who own their home and have a low mortgage rate feel stuck, and people who haven’t been able to buy yet worry they will never be able to own now."

And now their frustration over this will be directed at Trump, she wrote.

Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned on building five million new homes if she had been elected. Trump, for his part, proposed an idea of building new high-tech "freedom cities" from scratch on federal land back in 2023, but hasn't elaborated seriously on this idea. Meanwhile, he has also bragged about blocking higher-density construction in the suburbs and wants to conduct mass deportations, which could raise the cost of labor for home construction.

Long concluded that Trump's housing agenda could make inflation worse — and swiftly evaporate the benefit of the doubt voters gave him on the economy.

"Solving the housing crisis requires lower mortgage rates and building more homes," she wrote. "Trump can yell at the Fed for lower rates, but the bond market is what will move mortgage rates up or down. Right now, the bond market is watching every Trump move for signs of inflation and largesse. And so far, that’s what it sees."

Rep. Michael Guest (R-MI), chair of the House Ethics Committee, said there was no agreement on releasing a report about sexual misconduct allegations against former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general.

After a two-hour Ethics Committee meeting on Wednesday, Guest told reporters there "was not an agreement to release the report." The Republican chair would not say if the committee voted on the matter.

Guest previously suggested he opposed releasing the report because it had not been completed before Gaetz abruptly resigned from the House.

ALSO READ: A giant middle finger from a tiny craven man

Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) said that he would force the full House to vote on a resolution to have the committee release the report.

Gaetz has denied that he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl, contradicting media reports about witness statements to the committee.

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he was selling guitars at $1,500 a piece, sending a chorus of laughs rippling through social media.

In a Truth Social post to his followers, the incoming president said “Limited Edition American Eagle Guitar Series” would be available for purchase.

The website noted the item is “the only guitar officially endorsed by President Donald J. Trump,” and features a photo of Trump beaming while holding the guitar.

But not all were immediately sold on the incoming president’s latest money-making venture.

ALSO READ: A giant middle finger from a tiny craven man

“Trump is just going to keep selling s--- while in office,” Gizmodo tech report Matt Novak wrote on X.

“You gotta hand it to him -- Trump is unsurpassed in the grifting department,” independent journalist Aaron Rupar commented.

Others pointed out that Trump is rolling out the guitar line just as the holiday season kicks off.

“Just in time for Christmas and Hanukkah, President-elect Trump is endorsing a line of guitars,” Yashar Ali, a HuffPost reporter wrote on social media. "Trump Guitars are available for sale with the price ranging from $1,250-$1,500

“Are Donald Trump's new ‘Trump Guitars’ made in China too? Artist Art Candee asked her followers. “SMH.”

According to the website, the guitars “feature the iconic phrase ‘Make America Great Again’ inlaid in authentic pearl up the neck of the guitar and the number 45 on the headstock signifying President Donald J. Trump’s historic term as President.”