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Judge Reprimands Trump Witness Robert Costello in New York Trial
The judge in Donald Trump’s highly controversial hush money trial cleared the courtroom of media on Monday before threatening to dismiss the defense witness Robert Costello from the trial entirely due to his behavior on the stand.
Judge Juan M. Merchan reprimanded Robert Costello, a former federal prosecutor, for his conduct during testimony. Costello irritated Merchan repeatedly, in part by continuing to speak after objections were sustained, indicating to witnesses that they should stop talking. Costello muttered “jeez” when he was interrupted by an objection. He also labeled the entire exercise “ridiculous.”
The discussion occurred near the close of a heated day that saw the prosecution’s star witness admit to stealing tens of thousands of dollars from Trump’s firm. Trump’s lawyers also pushed Merchan to drop the case after prosecutors finished presenting evidence. The judge did not immediately rule on the request.
Robert Costello on Witness Stand
However, the most uncomfortable moments occurred with Costello on the witness stand. Merchan first led the jurors out of the courtroom to discuss basic decorum. He chastised Costello for saying “jeez” when cut off by a protracted argument and “strike it” at another point.
Merchan told him, “I am the only one who can strike testimony in court. “Do you understand that?”
“And then if you don’t like my ruling, you don’t give me side eye and you don’t roll your eyes.”
Merchan was about to call the jury back in when he asked Costello, “Are you staring me down right now?” and then ejected the press to further chastise him.
“I’m putting you on notice that your conduct is contemptuous,” Merchan said, according to a transcript of the conversation that took place after the reporters left the room. “If you try to stare me down one more time, I will remove you from the stand.”
Costello did not respond to a message seeking comment Monday night.
When Merchan called the reporters back in, Costello’s evidence continued, and it will resume on Tuesday. The defense is using him to undermine the credibility of Trump’s former attorney and rival, Michael Cohen.
After the jurors had left for the day, defense attorney Todd Blanche informed the court that prosecutors had failed to prove their case and that it should be dismissed immediately. Blanche begged the judge to “not send this case to the jury based on Mr. Cohen’s testimony.”
Cohen was the last witness
The judge remained unfazed by the argument, asking the defense attorney whether he believed that “as a matter of law, this person’s so not worthy of belief that it shouldn’t even be considered by the jury?”
“You said his lies are irrefutable,” the judge responded. “But you think he’s going to fool 12 New Yorkers into believing this lie?”
Cohen was the last witness — at least for the time being — for prosecutors trying to prove that Trump attempted to bury bad reports about himself and then altered internal business documents to conceal them as part of a conspiracy to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election. The defense has portrayed Cohen as a media-obsessed liar on a revenge mission to bring down Trump.
The defense called Costello because of his role as Cohen’s enemy and critic in the years after their professional relationship fractured spectacularly.
Costello offered to represent Cohen shortly after the lawyer’s hotel room, office, and house were raided, and Cohen had to decide whether to stay defiant in the face of a criminal investigation or to collaborate with authorities in the hopes of receiving more lenient punishment.
Costello said that Cohen told him Trump “knew nothing” about the $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels that is at the heart of the investigation.
“Michael Cohen said numerous times that President Trump knew nothing about those payments, that he did this on his own, and he repeated that numerous times,” Costello told the jury.
Trump would not testify
Trump lawyer Emil Bove told the judge that the defense does not intend to call any other witnesses following Costello, however they may bring campaign finance expert Bradley A. Smith for limited testimony.
They have not explicitly stated that Trump would not testify, but this is the clearest hint yet that he will forego his right to testify in his own defense.
Cohen returned to the witness stand for a fourth day on Monday, telling jurors that he stole from the Trump Organization when his 2016 holiday bonus was reduced from $150,000 to $50,000.
Cohen claimed he paid $50,000 to a technology firm for artificially increasing Trump’s standing in a CNBC online poll of notable CEOs. Cohen claimed he only provided the firm $20,000 in cash in a brown paper bag, but he sought reimbursement from Trump for the entire amount, pocketing the remainder.
Cohen claimed he never paid the Trump Organization back. Cohen has never been accused of stealing from Trump’s company.
Cohen is an important witness, but also a problematic one. He acknowledged on the witness stand to a number of previous lies, many of which he alleges were intended to protect Trump. Cohen also served time in prison after pleading guilty to a number of criminal counts, including lying to Congress and a bank, as well as campaign finance violations tied to the hush money scam.
However, when pressed by Blanche, Cohen maintained by his account of talks with Trump about the hush money payment to Daniels. Cohen stated that he spoke with Trump about the topic over 20 times in October 2016.
“No doubt in your mind?” Blanche inquired whether Cohen remembers having contacts with Trump about the Daniels case. No question, Cohen stated.
Trump facing 34 felony counts
Following more than four weeks of testimony, jurors could begin deliberate next week on whether Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first criminal trial of a former US president.
The charges derive from internal Trump Organization records that show payments to Cohen were classified as legal expenditures. Prosecutors contend they were actually reimbursements for Daniels’ payment to prevent her from going public with claims of a sexual encounter with Trump prior to the 2016 election. Trump claims nothing sexual occurred between them.
Donald Trump has pled not guilty. His lawyers claim that the Daniels arrangement and Cohen’s payment were both legal.
“There’s no crime,” Trump told reporters after arriving at the courthouse on Monday. “We paid legal fees. Do you know what the price is? “A legal expense.”
After Trump’s witnesses have testified, prosecutors will have the opportunity to call rebuttal witnesses. The judge, citing scheduling constraints, stated that he expected closing arguments to take place on May 28, the Tuesday following Memorial Day.
Source: The Associated Press
News
The IRS Will Give a Million People Up To $1,400. Their Identity—And Why Now?
(VOR News) – The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will be able to give almost one million people who have already filed their tax returns additional incentives of up to $1,400 during the next several weeks.
Those qualified to get the cash will either be placed straight into their bank accounts or get a physical cheque delivered by mail.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would refund individual taxpayers who omitted a Recovery Rebate Credit on their tax returns for 2021 around $2.4 billion.
Those qualified for the credit were those who had either not gotten a COVID stimulus payment or one that was less than the whole amount. Conversely, the Internal Revenue Service declared on Friday that it had discovered a considerable percentage of eligible candidates had not.
“After reviewing our internal data, we came to the conclusion that one million taxpayers failed to claim this complicated credit when they were actually eligible,” said Danny Werfel, Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service in his statement.
This taxpayer group may shortly be getting unexpected payments; the accompanying data provides specifics:
Could you kindly inform me about my chances of receiving a check from the IRS?
I’m sorry, but it most likely isn’t precisely that high. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reports that most qualified taxpayers—originally referred to as Economic Impact Payments—have already gotten their government stimulus money.
Those taxpayers who filed a tax return for the year 2021 but either left the Recovery Rebate Credit data box blank or entered $0 when they were actually eligible for the credit are qualified to get the special reimbursements announced by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The way this is going to be carried out?
Those eligible taxpayers are not required to perform any chores to be qualified. The funds are expected to be received either by cheque or direct deposit account by the end of January 2025. Automatic distribution of them is set for this month. The Internal Revenue Service will deliver them to either the bank account shown on the taxpayer’s 2023 return or the address the taxpayer keeps on file.
Though there will be several possible payments, the highest amount any one person can pay will be $1,400. The Internal Revenue Service has made available on the internet information on eligibility and the process used to ascertain the payment amount.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will send separate letters to taxpayers qualified for the special payment notifying of the payment.
Conversely, what would happen should I not yet have my 2021 tax return turned in?
You still might be able to turn around the money. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) claims, however, that individuals must file a tax return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit before April 15, 2025.
This is still the case whether or not a job, business, or any other source of income earned had any bearing on it.
How many financing rounds did the COVID stimulus program have?
Households impacted by the epidemic alone received compensation totaling $814 billion overall; this was divided across three rounds of payments. These figures were calculated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considering the taxpayer’s income, tax filing status, and the count of dependents or children entitled for the tax deduction.
The CARES Act, which became operative in March of 2020, makes qualified persons eligible for a maximum of $1,200 per income tax filer and $500 each child.
Those qualified could get up to $600 for each child and $600 for each individual who submitted their income tax return according to the Consolidated Appropriations Act in December of 2020.
Those qualified under the American Rescue Plan Act received a maximum of $1,400 per child and $1,400 per person who paid their income taxes during the month of March in 2021. very
SOURCE: YF
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Cases Of The US Flu Season Are Rising, While Vaccinations Are Behind Schedule.
Social Security Change Approved By Senate Despite Fiscal Concerns
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Cases Of The US Flu Season Are Rising, While Vaccinations Are Behind Schedule.
(VOR News) – The U.S. flu season has begun, according to health experts, who also noted a sharp rise in cases countrywide on Friday.
Significant increases were noted by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in a number of indicators, such as laboratory tests and ED visits. “For the past few weeks, it has been increasing steadily.” “Yes, we are in flu season right now,” CDC’s Alicia Budd said.
Last week, flu-like sickness was reported at elevated or very elevated levels in 13 states, roughly twice as many as the week before. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, says Tennessee is seeing a spike in sickness in the Nashville area.
Schaffner said, “Influenza cases have been increasing, but they have increased significantly in the last week.” He noted that up to 25% of patients in a nearby clinic, which is a gauge of illness trends, have flu-like symptoms.
An early focal point was Louisiana.
Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Centre, the largest private hospital in the state, in Baton Rouge, has infectious diseases specialist Dr. Catherine O’Neal, who said, “This week is a significant turning point as individuals are affected by the flu.” “Parents frequently say, ‘I have the flu and can’t go to work,’ and ‘Where can I get a flu test?'”
Fever, cough, sore throat, and other influenza-like symptoms are caused by a variety of viruses. COVID-19 is one of them. Another flu season common disease that causes cold-like symptoms but poses serious hazards to infants and the elderly is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Recent CDC numbers indicate a decline in COVID-19 hospitalisations since the summer. According to CDC wastewater data, COVID-19 activity is modest nationwide but elevated in the Midwest.
Although RSV hospitalisations are still marginally more common than flu admissions, they started to rise before flu season cases and currently show signs of perhaps stabilising. RSV activity is low nationwide, but wastewater data shows that it is high in the South.
Based on a number of indicators, such as laboratory results from hospitalised patients and outpatient clinics, as well as the percentage of ED visits that resulted in an influenza diagnosis at discharge, the CDC declared the start of the flu season.
According to Budd, it is too early in the season to determine the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine, and no type of virus seems to be more common.
The flu season last winter was classified as “moderate” overall, but it continued for 21 weeks, and the CDC estimates that 28,000 people died from the virus. With 205 paediatric deaths reported, the situation was particularly dangerous for kids. It was the largest number ever recorded for a conventional influenza season.
The prolonged flu season was probably one of the reasons, Budd added.
The lack of influenza vaccinations was one of the contributing factors. The CDC reports that 80% of children who passed away and had verified vaccination status and were of the right age for flu shots were not completely immunised.
Children’s immunisation rates are drastically lower this year. About 41% of people had a flu shot as of December 7, which is similar to the percentage at the same time last year. For youngsters, the figure is steady, although it is lower than in the previous year, when 44% received an influenza vaccination, according to CDC data.
About 21% of adults and 11% of children are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which is still a poor vaccination rate.
Influenza experts advise everyone to get vaccinated, especially as people get ready for holiday gatherings where respiratory diseases could spread widely.
“This virus also has the potential to spread from person to person at all those happy, pleasant, and heartwarming events,” Schaffner said. “flu season Vaccination remains a viable option.”
However, Louisiana’s health department announced on Friday that it was rescinding its COVID-19 and flu vaccination recommendations. According to an official, the department’s current position is that people should speak with their doctors about whether the immunisations are suitable for their situation.
The department’s spokesperson, Emma Herrock, did not respond to follow-up questions regarding the policy. Dr. Ralph Abraham, the state’s surgeon general, has expressed concerns in the past regarding the COVID-19 vaccine’s effectiveness and safety.
SOURCE: AP
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Social Security Change Approved By Senate Despite Fiscal Concerns
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Social Security Change Approved By Senate Despite Fiscal Concerns
(VOR News) – On Saturday, the U.S. Congress passed a plan to increase Social Security retirement payouts for some retirees who receive public pensions, a move that critics say will further erode the program’s financial stability. Among these pensioners are former firefighters and police officers.
The Social Security Fairness Act was passed by the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 76-20 just after midnight. The act may lower payments for those receiving pensions and aims to repeal provisions that have existed for 20 years.
The House of Representatives passed the bill last month by a vote of 327-75, meaning that if the Senate also approves it, it would be delivered to Democratic President Joe Biden to become law.
The White House dodged enquiries regarding Social Security’s objectives.
In order to limit government benefits for certain higher-paid employees who are also getting pensions, the measure will reverse a long-standing change to the program. It has become increasingly common in recent years for municipal employees, such as postal workers and firefighters, to face pay limitations.
The vast majority of Americans do not take part in pension plans that provide a fixed return on investment, instead relying on their own savings and Social Security. According to data from the Department of Labour, only 10% of private sector employees in the US are covered by pension plans.
The new rules apply to about 3 percent of Social Security users, or more than 2.5 million people in the United States. Legislators are heavily influenced by the workers and retirees impacted by these rules, and the powerful advocacy organisations that speak for them have been using the legislative process to push for a legislative cure.
According to retirement experts, some retirees may be able to earn hundreds of dollars more in government benefits each month as a result of the move.
According to a Congressional Budget Office analysis, the bill is expected to cost approximately $196 billion over the next 10 years. As a result, federal budget experts are worried that the change could negatively affect the program’s already fragile financial status.
In an interview with the Bipartisan Policy Centre, Emerson Sprick, associate director of economic policy, said he was frustrated by “the overwhelming support in Congress for the contrary of what policy researchers concur on is quite frustrating.”
Instead of eliminating current formulas, we could improve them.
Among these changes is the Social Security Administration’s increased disclosure of the anticipated monetary benefits for these public sector workers.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal think tank, has voiced concerns that the additional cost will impact the program’s ability to continue.
Maya MacGuineas, the organization’s leader, made the declaration, saying, “We are hastening towards our own fiscal ruin.”
“It is noteworthy that lawmakers are in a position to shorten the timeframe by six months, as there are just nine years left before the trust fund for the biggest program in the country runs out.”
Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, said on the Senate floor on Wednesday that the bill in its current form would “throw granny over the cliff.”
According to what he stated, “every senator who votes to impose a burden of $200 billion on the Social Security Trust Fund is opting to put the interests of senior citizens who have contributed to Social Security and earned those benefits in jeopardy.”
Those who favoured the legislation said that the question of what would happen to Social Security could be settled later.
“Those are significantly longer-term concerns that we must collaboratively address,” a supporter of the idea Senator Michael Bennett told Reuters when asked if the move would affect the government’s capacity to be viable.
SOURCE: BR
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