World
Trump’s $10,000-a-day fine for ignoring subpoena kicks in -NY judge
Former President Donald Trump must pay a fine of $10,000 per day starting on Tuesday until he complies with a subpoena to hand over material about his business practices to New York’s attorney general, a New York judge said, adding that the clock was ticking on completing the probe.
The state judge, Arthur Engoron, on Monday held Trump in civil contempt for “repeated failures” to hand over materials to Attorney General Letitia James for a civil investigation launched three years agointo the whether the Trump Organization improperly valued assets to obtain financial benefits.
In a written ruling, Engoron wrote that James’ office had “satisfied its burden of demonstrating that Mr. Trump willfully disobeyed a lawful court order” and said Trump must pay $10,000 per day, beginning on Tuesday, until he complies.
Engoron said more delays could prevent the attorney general’s office from taking action against Trump or the Trump Organization. James has said the probe already turned up evidence that assets including golf clubs and a penthouse apartment were improperly valued.
“Each day that passes without compliance further prejudices [the attorney general’s office], as the statutes of limitations continue to run,” Engoron wrote, adding that the delays could result in James’ office “being unable to pursue certain causes of action that it otherwise would.”
Kevin Wallace, senior enforcement counsel at James’ office, said at a court hearing on Monday that the attorney general “will likely need to bring some kind of enforcement action in the near future,” without elaborating.
Trump, a Republican, has denied wrongdoing and has called the probe politically motivated. James is a Democrat.
Trump’s attorney Alina Habba did not immediately reply to a request for comment. After the court hearing on Monday, Habba said Trump would appeal the decision. The former president previously lost a bid to quash the subpoena, then failed to produce the documents by a court-ordered March 3 deadline, later extended to March 31 at his lawyers’ request.
At the court hearing, Habba maintained that Trump did indeed comply with the subpoena and did not have the documents James requested.
In his written ruling, Engoron said Trump had not refuted James’ assertions that he failed to search several file cabinets for relevant documents. He said there was not enough evidence that Trump had conducted a thorough search.
In the past, James has said the investigation has found “significant evidence” that the Trump Organization included misleading asset valuations in more than a decade of its financial statements.
The attorney general has questioned how the company valued the Trump brand, as well as golf clubs in New York and Scotland and Trump’s own penthouse apartment in Midtown Manhattan’s Trump Tower. In some cases the assets were overvalued to obtain favorable loan terms and in other cases they were undervalued to win tax benefits, the attorney general has said.
World
Trump says United States will get uranium from Iran
One of Trump’s central objectives in launching military strikes against Iran was to ensure Tehran does not develop a nuclear weapon.
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States would get enriched uranium from Iran, as the two countries struggle to reach an agreement on ending the Gulf war, Reuters reported.
“We’re going to get it,” Trump told a reporter as he left a White House event.
One of Trump’s central objectives in launching military strikes against Iran was to ensure Tehran does not develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has yet to hand over more than 900 pounds (408 kg) of highly enriched uranium.
World
Trump says Iran “should wave the white flag of surrender”
When asked what Iran would need to do to violate the ceasefire, Trump said: “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll let you know … They know what not to do.”
President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed Iran’s military capability and said Tehran “should wave the white flag of surrender” but is too proud to do so, Reuters reported.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Iran’s military has been reduced to firing “peashooters” and that Tehran privately wants to make a deal despite its public sabre-rattling.
“They play games, but let me just tell you, they want to make a deal. And who wouldn’t, when your military is totally gone?” he said.
Trump heaped praise on the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports in the region. “It’s like a piece of steel. Nobody’s going to challenge the blockade. And I think it’s working out very well,” he said, read the report.
When asked what Iran would need to do to violate the ceasefire, Trump said: “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll let you know … They know what not to do.”
Trump said Iran “should save the white flag of surrender.”
“If this were a fight, they’d stop it,” said Trump.
World
Secret Service says it exchanged gunfire with armed suspect near White House
The suspect was not on the White House property, Quinn said.
The U.S. Secret Service said on Monday its officers confronted an armed and “suspicious individual” near the White House who later fired at them before fleeing on foot and being shot by law enforcement, Reuters reported.
The incident led to a brief lockdown at the White House.
Agents patrolling the outer perimeter of the White House complex identified a person who Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn said was a “suspicious individual that appeared to have a firearm.”
He briefly fled on foot after being approached by Secret Service officers and fired in their direction, Quinn said at a press conference.
Secret Service then fired at the suspect who was hit and subsequently hospitalized, Quinn added.
Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade transited through the area “not long before” the incident, Quinn said. There was no indication that the suspect intended to approach Vance’s motorcade, the Secret Service deputy director said.
A juvenile bystander was hit by the suspect but did not receive any life-threatening injuries and was being treated at a hospital, Quinn added.
Agents observed “visual print of a firearm” in considering the individual’s behavior as suspicious when he was spotted, Quinn told reporters.
The suspect was not on the White House property, Quinn said.
Law enforcement have been on alert in recent days in the U.S. capital following a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner late last month over which a man has been arrested, read the report.
Quinn was asked if Monday’s incident was linked to “other recent attempts” on President Donald Trump’s life. Trump was in the White House when this incident unfolded.
“Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don’t know but we will find out,” Quinn said.
The Secret Service deputy director confirmed that a weapon was recovered from the suspect but did not elaborate.
The Secret Service said earlier its personnel were on the scene of the officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C.
The DC Police Department was handling the probe.
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