Latest news with #ManhattanDA
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump was convicted of 34 felonies a year ago. He's still battling the case
One year ago today, a jury of 12 New Yorkers convicted Donald Trump for falsifying business records as part of an alleged hush money scheme to influence the 2016 election. The conviction left an indelible mark on Trump -- making him the first president or former president to be found guilty of a crime -- and his fight to erase that legacy continues to this day. On June 11, a federal appeals court in Manhattan is set to hear oral arguments in the president's renewed legal fight to move his criminal case from state to federal court. MORE: Timeline: Manhattan DA's Stormy Daniels hush money case against Donald Trump Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg opposes the move -- arguing that a case can't be removed to federal court after conviction -- but Trump's lawyers have argued the "unprecedented criminal prosecution of a former and current president of the United States belongs in federal court." Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts after prosecutors alleged that he engaged in a "scheme" to boost his chances during the 2016 presidential election through a series of hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and the falsification of New York business records to cover up that alleged criminal conduct. "I did my job, and we did our job," Bragg said following Trump's conviction. "There are many voices out there, but the only voice that matters is the voice of the jury, and the jury has spoken." Ten days before Trump was sworn in as president last November, New York Judge Juan Merchan sentenced him to an unconditional discharge -- without prison, fines or probation -- saying it was the "only lawful sentence" to prevent "encroaching upon the highest office in the land." "I won the election in a massive landslide, and the people of this country understand what's gone on. This has been a weaponization of government," Trump told the court during his sentencing. Trump continues to vehemently deny any wrongdoing, and his lawyers have argued that his conviction relied on evidence and testimony that related to his official acts as president, including social media posts from his official Twitter account as president and testimony from his former communications director Hope Hicks. The trial took place one month before the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling expanding the scope of presidential immunity, and Trump's lawyers have argued that the evidence would have not been permitted based on the high court's ruling. Trump's lawyers attempted to use that argument to throw out the case before Trump's January sentencing, but the argument was rejected by Judge Juan Merchan, two New York appeals courts, and the Supreme Court. "The alleged evidentiary violations at President-Elect Trump's state-court trial can be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal," the Supreme Court said in a brief unsigned opinion, though four justices said they would have granted Trump's application. For Trump's criminal defense, he relied on then-defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who now serve as the deputy attorney general and principal associate deputy attorney general. Earlier this week, Trump announced that he plans to nominate Bove -- who led a purge of career law enforcement officials before the Senate confirmed his nomination to help run the DOJ -- to the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. MORE: Trump sentencing transcript: Listen to Trump's entire hush money sentencing hearing With his former defense attorneys now working for the government, Trump earlier this year tapped the elite Manhattan law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell to handle his criminal appeal. Lawyers with the Department of Justice also filed an amicus brief in the case this week to argue that the case should be heard -- and thrown out -- by a federal court because the jury's conviction relied on evidence that was covered by presidential immunity. "That President Trump's defense in fact takes the form of a new constitutional immunity announced by the Supreme Court after his trial ended, rather than a new statute enacted by Congress, should if anything cut in the President's favor," lawyers with the Department of Justice argued in a brief submitted on Tuesday. The appeal -- as well as the ongoing appeal of Trump's $83 million judgment in the E. Jean Carroll civil case and half-billion-dollar civil fraud case -- is proceeding on uncharted legal grounds as Trump wields the power of the presidency in his defense. He has characterized the prosecutors who pursued the cases against him as politically motivated, and has touted his electoral victory last November as a political acquittal. "The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people," Trump told reporters as he left court following his conviction last year. "And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here." Trump was convicted of 34 felonies a year ago. He's still battling the case originally appeared on
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
On the anniversary of his hush money conviction, Trump continues to fight criminal case
One year ago today, a jury of 12 New Yorkers convicted Donald Trump for falsifying business records as part of an alleged hush money scheme to influence the 2016 election. The conviction left an indelible mark on Trump -- making him the first president or former president to be found guilty of a crime -- and his fight to erase that legacy continues to this day. On June 11, a federal appeals court in Manhattan is set to hear oral arguments in the president's renewed legal fight to move his criminal case from state to federal court. MORE: Timeline: Manhattan DA's Stormy Daniels hush money case against Donald Trump Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg opposes the move -- arguing that a case can't be removed to federal court after conviction -- but Trump's lawyers have argued the "unprecedented criminal prosecution of a former and current president of the United States belongs in federal court." Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts after prosecutors alleged that he engaged in a "scheme" to boost his chances during the 2016 presidential election through a series of hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and the falsification of New York business records to cover up that alleged criminal conduct. Ten days before Trump was sworn in as president last November, New York Judge Juan Merchan sentenced him to an unconditional discharge -- without prison, fines or probation -- saying it was the "only lawful sentence" to prevent "encroaching upon the highest office in the land." "I won the election in a massive landslide, and the people of this country understand what's gone on. This has been a weaponization of government," Trump told the court during his sentencing. Trump continues to vehemently deny any wrongdoing, and his lawyers have argued that his conviction relied on evidence and testimony that related to his official acts as president, including social media posts from his official Twitter account as president and testimony from his former communications director Hope Hicks. The trial took place one month before the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling expanding the scope of presidential immunity, and Trump's lawyers have argued that the evidence would have not been permitted based on the high court's ruling. Trump's lawyers attempted to use that argument to throw out the case before Trump's January sentencing, but the argument was rejected by Judge Juan Merchan, two New York appeals courts, and the Supreme Court. "The alleged evidentiary violations at President-Elect Trump's state-court trial can be addressed in the ordinary course on appeal," the Supreme Court said in a brief unsigned opinion, though four justices said they would have granted Trump's application. For Trump's criminal defense, he relied on then-defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who now serve as the deputy attorney general and principal associate deputy attorney general. Earlier this week, Trump announced that he plans to nominate Bove – who led a purge of career law enforcement officials before the Senate confirmed his nomination to help run the DOJ -- to the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. With his former defense attorneys now working for the government, Trump earlier this year tapped the elite Manhattan law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell to handle his criminal appeal. MORE: Trump sentencing transcript: Listen to Trump's entire hush money sentencing hearing Lawyers with the Department of Justice also filed an amicus brief in the case this week to argue that the case should be heard -- and thrown out -- by a federal court because the jury's conviction relied on evidence that was covered by presidential immunity. "That President Trump's defense in fact takes the form of a new constitutional immunity announced by the Supreme Court after his trial ended, rather than a new statute enacted by Congress, should if anything cut in the President's favor," lawyers with the Department of Justice argued in a brief submitted on Tuesday. The appeal -- as well as the ongoing appeal of Trump's $83 million judgment in the E. Jean Carroll civil case and half-billion-dollar civil fraud case -- is proceeding on uncharted legal grounds as Trump wields the power of the presidency in his defense. He has characterized the prosecutors who pursued the cases against him as politically motivated, and has touted his electoral victory last November as a political acquittal. "The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people," Trump told reporters as he left court following his conviction last year. "And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here." On the anniversary of his hush money conviction, Trump continues to fight criminal case originally appeared on
Shafaq News
23-05-2025
- Shafaq News
Stolen artifacts head home: Met repatriates Iraqi art
Shafaq News/ The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently announced that it will return three ancient sculptures to Iraq, dating from 3rd to 2nd millennium BCE. They are estimated to be collectively worth $500,000. The items are a Sumerian vessel made of gypsum alabaster (ca. 2600–2500 BCE) and two Babylonian terracotta sculptures (ca. 2000-1600 BCE) depicting a male head and a female head, respectively. The museum said it was making the return in 'cooperation with the Manhattan DA's office,' and that the return had come after the Met had 'received new information' amid the investigation into Robin Symes, a dealer accused of being a member of a network that traded in looted artifacts. A press release from the DA's Office said that the Symes investigation has resulted in the seizure of 135 antiquities valued at more than $58 million. The release also noted that two of the items were seized by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU) earlier this year. The two Babylonian ceramic sculptures are thought to be from Isin, an archaeological site in Iraq, and were looted in the late 1960s. The Manhattan DA's office noted that Head of a male was then smuggled out of Iraq and was in Symes's possession in London by 1971. The next year, Symes sold the sculpture to the Met; it remained in the institution's collection until it was seized by the ATU. Vessel supported by two rams was first offered to the Met in 1956 by Switzerland-based antiquities dealer-trafficker Nicolas Koutoulakis, 'who informed the museum that the Vessel had been found at a site near the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur. The Vessel then passed through multiple private collectors and dealers, including Symes, before permanently entering The Met's collection in 1989,' according to the Manhattan DA's office. The museum's press release said the vessel was gifted to the museum in 1989 by the Norbert Schimmel Trust, named after a longtime trustee who died in 1990. The museum noted that 'it appeared on the Baghdad art market, was purchased by Swiss dealer Nicolas Koutoulakis by 1956 and later acquired by Cecile de Rothschild.' 'The Met is committed to the responsible collecting of art and the shared stewardship of the world's cultural heritage and has made significant investments in accelerating the proactive research of our collection,' Max Hollein, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's director and CEO, said in a press statement. 'The Museum is grateful for our ongoing conversations with Iraq regarding future collaborative endeavors, and we look forward to working together to advance our shared dedication to fostering knowledge and appreciation of Iraqi art and culture.' 'We continue to recover and return antiquities that were trafficked by Robin Symes,' District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. said in a press statement. 'That is a testament to the hard work of attorneys, analysts and investigators who are committed to undoing the significant damage traffickers have caused to our worldwide cultural heritage.' H. E. Nazar Al Khirullah, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the US, described the leadership of the ATU as 'instrumental' in the recovery of his country's looted heritage. 'We also appreciate our strong and ongoing partnership with The Met, whose commitment to cultural preservation complements our shared mission to safeguard the world's antiquities,' he said in a press statement. Symes's legacy of trafficking antiquities includes 351 antiquities returned to Greece after a 17-year legal battle, two antiquities worth $1.26 million returned to Libya, 750 artifacts recovered by Italy, a limestone elephant returned to Iraq, and an alabaster female figure returned to Yemen, all in 2023. Symes was convicted of contempt of court for lying about antiquities he held in storage locations around the world in 2005. He was sentenced to two years in prison, but only served seven months. He died in 2023.
New York Times
20-05-2025
- New York Times
Met Museum Surrenders Artifacts Thought Looted From Iraq
Three ancient artworks that for years had been part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and are now thought to have been looted were returned on Monday to the Republic of Iraq, the Met and the Manhattan district attorney's office said in statements. The artworks were recovered following criminal investigations into looted art, including one into the British antiquities dealer Robin Symes, the district attorney's office said. Mr. Symes, who died in 2023, was long suspected by investigators to have been a trafficker. The artifacts were returned in an official ceremony at the district attorney's office in Lower Manhattan that was attended by Met officials and representatives from Iraq. 'Through the Museum's cooperation with the Manhattan DA's office, and as a result of its investigation into Robin Symes, the museum recently received new information that made it clear that the works should be repatriated, resulting in a constructive resolution,' the Met said in a statement. The artifacts include a Sumerian vessel made of gypsum alabaster dating to around 2600 to 2500 B.C., which passed through Symes's hands and was given to the museum in 1989 by a private collection; and two Babylonian ceramic sculptures, a head of a male and a head of a female, dating to around 2000 to 1600 B.C. The head of a male was sold by Symes to the Met in 1972; the head of a female was a gift from the same private collection in 1989. All three were seized by the district attorney's antiquities trafficking unit earlier this year. The two heads are thought to be from Isin, an ancient Mesopotamian archaeological site in Iraq. When the vessel was initially offered to the Met, in 1956, a Swiss dealer said it had been found near the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur, the district attorney's office said. The district attorney's office said the investigation into Symes by its antiquities trafficking unit had led to the seizure of 135 antiquities that it said had been trafficked by Symes into and through Manhattan. The investigators calculated the value of the artifacts at $58 million. 'We continue to recover and return antiquities that were trafficked by Robin Symes,' the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg Jr., said in a statement. 'That is a testament to the hard work of attorneys, analysts and investigators who are committed to undoing the significant damage traffickers have caused to our worldwide cultural heritage.' In a statement, H.E. Nazar Al Khirullah, Iraq's ambassador to the United States, said: 'We deeply value our enduring partnership with key American institutions — foremost among them, the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the DA's Office, whose leadership has been instrumental in the recovery of Iraq's looted heritage. We also appreciate our strong and ongoing partnership with The Met, whose commitment to cultural preservation complements our shared mission to safeguard the world's antiquities.' Max Hollein, the Met's director, said in a statement: 'The Met is committed to the responsible collecting of art and the shared stewardship of the world's cultural heritage and has made significant investments in accelerating the proactive research of our collection.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-Manhattan prosecutor Diana Florence seeks to topple DA Alvin Bragg: ‘The law is a command, not a suggestion'
A veteran prosecutor who used to work in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office is seeking to topple current DA Alvin Bragg. Diana Florence said she will run on an independent 'Safer Manhattan' ballot line against Democrat incumbent Bragg — a longshot bid in the heavily Democratic borough. She ripped Bragg over his infamous 'Day One memo' in January 2022 that ordered his prosecutors to stop seeking prison sentences for hordes of criminals and to downgrade felony charges in cases including armed robberies and drug dealing. 'The law is a command, not a suggestion,' said Florence, an ADA under former District Attorney Cy Vance. 'It's time to bring common sense back to the District Attorney's office and leave the politics behind.' But Florence has her own baggage. She resigned from the Manhattan DA's office in 2020 amid allegations she withheld evidence involving a key witness in several major cases. Maud Maron, a former public defender, is the Republican candidate for Manhattan DA. Bragg also is facing a Democratic primary challenge from former Bronx prosecutor and civil litigator Patrick Timmins. Florence previously ran in the crowded Democratic primary for Manhattan DA in 2021, a race won by Bragg. This time around, she is focusing on his 'Day One' memo. Some of those policies were reversed after a thundering backlash. 'Manhattan deserves a DA who will take decisive action to restore order and fairness,' she said in a statement. 'My promise is to bring justice to every community — without fear or favor — and make New Yorkers safe at home, safe at work, and safe on the streets.' But Florence also was accused of failing to turn over a potentially damning audio recording in her prosecution of shady construction executives accused of illegally securing millions of dollars in city contracts. A campaign spokesman for Bragg said Florence is unfit to be DA. 'Alvin Bragg is an honest, principled, experienced prosecutor who has helped reduce shootings in Manhattan by 45%, launched new mental health outreach to get people help, stood up for victims, and held the powerful accountable,' said Bragg campaign rep Richard Fife. 'Diana Florence resigned in disgrace from the Manhattan DA's office for failing to turn over evidence in a major corruption case, and for creating a toxic work environment internally. No amount of special interest money from Florence's rich, powerful patrons or campaign rhetoric will be able to hide her scandal-scarred history, or distort Alvin Bragg's successful record of delivering the safety we need, the fairness we deserve, and one standard of justice for all.' Despite the controversy, Florence received a qualified rating from the New York Bar Association during the 2021 race. Aside from saying she would have zero tolerance for violent crime if elected DA, Florence vowed she would vigorously prosecute quality-of-life crimes such as shoplifting, vandalism and trespassing. 'I'm going to fight for a Manhattan where stores aren't locking up toothpaste and our public spaces aren't crime scenes waiting to happen. This will be reflected in my 'Day One Memo,' ' Florence said. She also promised to aggressively prosecute domestic violence and sex crimes. 'DA Bragg's failure started from the very beginning, with his 'Day One Memo,' ' she said. 'Instead of considering each case individually, he directed prosecutors to automatically downgrade how crimes were charged, turning felonies into misdemeanors, and misdemeanors into no crimes at all. 'The DA's office pursued a social experiment that made our city more hospitable for criminals, and less safe for everyone else. Today, it is not unusual for someone to be arrested for a serious crime, only to be released because the DA refused to prosecute. And no surprise – crime has gotten worse,' Florence said. She vowed to tackle antisemitism, anti-Asian and other hate-related crimes, too. Florence spent 25 years as a prosecutor focusing on street crime, domestic violence, fraud and corruption cases and headed the nation's first construction fraud task force. She won convictions against companies and individuals for defrauding 9/11 charities, corruption, domestic violence, wage theft and deadly work conditions. Born in Manhattan, Florence resides in Kips Bay with her husband and two children.
