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Trump Documents Trial May Put Resort Workers On Witness Stand, Sources Say

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TRUMP TRIAL: According to multiple people familiar with the investigation, federal prosecutors may call Mar-a-Lago staffers and contract workers to testify against former President Donald Trump and his two co-defendants at their upcoming criminal trial in Florida.

CNN has compiled a detailed picture of how prosecutors are building their case against Trump for mishandling secret documents discovered at Mar-a-Lago.

While some witnesses who may be called to testify are from Trump’s inner circle, including his business career, political campaign, and time in the White House, other potential witnesses, according to the sources, are the types of workers whom Mar-a-Lago’s wealthy guests rarely notice.

According to the sources, other likely witnesses include:

  • Trump Secret Service agents.
  • Former intelligence officials.
  • Others were in the room with Trump when he was heard on multiple audio recordings referring to a military document regarding potential preparations to destroy Iran.

However, if summoned to testify, the low-level personnel who were the eyes and ears of Mar-a-Lago might provide the public with new insights into the elite club and Trump’s approach to sensitive national security intelligence after leaving office. Some are still working at Mar-a-Lago.

Following the publication of this report, Trump commented on social media, confirming that several people saw papers and boxes at Mar-a-Lago.

“Of course they did!” says the author. They could be the boxes and other items openly and visibly brought from the White House, as is my right under the Presidential Records Act.”

The Presidential Records Act states unequivocally that White House records about government activity are public property and must be handed to the National Archives when the president and vice president leave office.

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Trump Documents Trial May Put Resort Workers On Witness Stand, Sources SayTrump Documents Trial May Put Resort Workers On Witness Stand, Sources Say

The trial is scheduled to begin in May in Florida, far before the 2024 presidential election. However, Aileen Cannon, the federal judge presiding over the case, is considering postponing the trial until after the election, thus hiding details about Trump’s behavior until voters go to the polls.

Overall, prosecutors might use these witnesses to demonstrate to a jury the free-wheeling environment that Trump presided over after leaving the White House. The possible witnesses have already provided detailed information to federal investigators regarding the level of security at the Mar-a-Lago resort, including how boxes of documents were stored and if they were visible or accessible to visitors.

The special counsel’s office declined to comment for this article. Trump’s spokespeople waited to react to CNN’s request for comment.

Some witnesses told investigators that what they observed at Mar-a-Lago piqued their interest and appeared strange, out of place, or potentially suspicious.

According to three sources who spoke with CNN about what he told investigators, a woodworker from South Florida put crown molding in Trump’s bedroom in February 2022 and saw documents. While the stack of papers he saw was classified, the craftsman wasn’t sure what he had seen strewn about the site.

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Trump Documents Trial May Put Resort Workers On Witness Stand, Sources SayTrump Documents Trial May Put Resort Workers On Witness Stand, Sources Say

“He thinks he saw things, doesn’t know what they were – he eventually told investigators he thought what he saw may have been a movie prop,” a source involved with the investigation said.

According to the sources, prospective witnesses include:

  • A maid who cleaned Trump’s suite.
  • A plumber who has worked at the property several days a week for years.
  • Numerous other maintenance workers.

According to sources acquainted with the inquiry, some workers may not be called as witnesses by prosecutors trying the case and may not have even spotted boxes or documents around the property.

Nonetheless, prosecutors working for special counsel Jack Smith stated in their June indictment of Trump that lax security once visitors entered the Mar-a-Lago compound is an issue they expect to bring up in front of a jury.

According to the indictment, “Mar-a-Lago was an active social club that hosted events for tens of thousands of members and guests between January 2021 and August 2022,” including movie premieres, weddings, and fundraisers.

According to one source, police questioned a driver about wealthy businesspeople, including foreigners, who had visited the club as VIP guests. The chauffeur, for example, detailed transporting Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt, who could be summoned as a witness.

Pratt paid Trump a visit at Mar-a-Lago after Trump left office, and the former president revealed secret information about US nuclear submarines with Pratt, according to two people. ABC News previously reported on this detail. This is not one of the incidents in which Trump has been charged with mishandling national security material.

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CNN has contacted Pratt’s representative.

A bustling nightclub

Prosecutors claimed in their June indictment that Mar-a-Lago had 25 guest rooms, two ballrooms, a spa, a gift shop, offices, pool, and fitness facilities. More than 150 employees, ranging from temporary to full-time, milled about.

Witness evidence at the trial is sure to bring that scenario to life.

Prosecutors claim that after January 2021, the club was no longer a place where sensitive materials could be legitimately stored, owned, read, displayed, or discussed, making the presence of those without security clearances a risk to national security.

Trump is accused of mishandling 32 national security records, the majority of which are classified, that he maintained after leaving office, primarily in boxes at Mar-a-Lago. He is also accused of conspiring with his co-defendants – Walt Nauta, his bodyguard, and Carlos De Oliveira, the club’s valet turned property manager – to conceal part of the boxes from the federal government and destroy security footage of the boxes being transported.

Prosecutors have publicly mentioned a few potential witnesses in recent court sessions, including a receptionist at the club, the head of maintenance, and a personal aide to Trump.

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The social network of Mar-a-Lago

Some of the persons named by CNN as possible witnesses are long-term Trump property employees who live in South Florida and learned about the Trump staff’ concentration on attempting to remove the security film through word-of-mouth.

Many past and present club employees are still in regular communication, and they relayed word about the FBI search of the resort in August 2022 to one another. Previously, federal agents had approached several of them for preliminary interviews. Some of them agreed to extra interviews with prosecutors and testified in front of a grand jury.

Jim Trusty, an attorney who stopped representing the former president in the documents case after Trump was indicted, told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on “The Source” Thursday that the Justice Department and the FBI “aggressively” intimidated a lot of “salt of the earth, good people, hard-working people down in the Mar-a-Lago scene.”

“It’s the kind of thing where, Kaitlan, you could drive by Mar-a-Lago, go to the beach and get a subpoena,” Trusty told me.

The federal investigation into the Mar-a-Lago payroll enraged the former president, who spends his winters in Florida and frequently poses for photos with club guests. When the maid who cleans Trump’s bedroom suite was requested to talk with investigators, for example, Trump’s answer was “ballistic,” according to a CNN source.

According to two people who talked to CNN, one important witness, Yuscil Taveras, only recently left his position as the club’s director of IT as the start of South Florida’s winter season approached. Taveras is designated in the indictment as “Trump Employee 4,” and it was publicly stated that prosecutors offered him a favorable deal in exchange for his cooperation.

However, Trump had no idea Taveras had remained to work at the club after his divorce from a Trump-provided lawyer this summer, and the former president was upset to learn of his ongoing employment, according to the sources.

Taveras’ attorney declined to comment.

SOURCE – (CNN)

Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics.

Business

Deal With Mexican Retailer, Nordstrom’s Founding Family Takes Nordstrom Private.

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Nordstrom
Scott Olson | Getty Images

(VOR News) – The company made the news on Monday that it would transition into a private Nordstrom corporation after the conclusion of a buyout agreement with El Puerto de Liverpool, a Mexican department store, and the founding family of Nordstrom.

The arrangement was reached when the company acquired El Puerto de Liverpool. It is projected that the transaction will end up valued at around $6.25 billion.

The company’s board of directors came to a resolution that was unanimous in order to give their approval to the deal, which is expected to be completed in the first half of the year 2025.

The Nordstrom family would control the corporation under the agreement.

Which will equate to 50.1% of the business, while Liverpool will hold 49.9% of the company. In accordance with a press announcement, common stockholders would receive a cash payment of $24.25 for each share of Nordstrom common stock that they now hold in their possession.

According to a news release, Nordstrom’s Chief Executive Officer Erik Nordstrom remarked that the company has been working on the fundamental principle of assisting customers in feeling well and looking their best for more than a century.

This idea has been the driving force behind the company’s operations. The company is about to embark on an exciting new phase, and today marks the beginning of that chapter.

We, the members of my family, are looking forward to working together with our coworkers to make certain that Nordstrom will continue to be successful well into the foreseeable future.

Over the course of its history, the retail establishment has made repeated attempts to transition into a private operation. 2018 was the year that a previous attempt was unsuccessful at materializing.

In September, the Nordstrom family made an offer to purchase the company at a price of $23 per share, which resulted in the company being valued at around $3.76 billion. The offer was accepted by the company.

Over the course of the early trading session, the stock of Nordstrom witnessed a decrease of nearly one percent. As a result of a report that was published by Reuters in March, which said that the family intended to take the company private, the shares of the company have undergone a large boost.

November revenues beat Wall Street forecasts for Nordstrom’s fiscal third quarter.

This was due to the fact that the company’s revenue climbed approximately 4% year-over-year. However, the company claimed that it anticipated a dismal holiday season, which resulted in a little more optimistic prediction for the full year’s revenues. This was the case since the corporation anticipated that the holiday season would be weak.

Customers continue to be picky when it comes to purchasing things that are desires rather than needs, and they have paid greater attention to pricing, according to the majority of merchants, including Walmart, Best Buy, and Target.

These businesses have also said that customers have become more price conscious. This has led to an increase in the amount of pressure that is being placed on luxury clothing businesses.

Nordstrom, a department store, was initially founded in 1901 as a shoe business but later expanded into other areas. Since then, it has developed into a department store that provides customers with a diverse range of clothing and accessories at more than 350 sites around the United States. These locations include Nordstrom Rack, Nordstrom Local, and Nordstrom.

El Puerto de Liverpool is responsible for the management of two further department store chains under the names Liverpool and Suburbia. In addition, El Puerto de Liverpool is home to 29 shopping centers that are dispersed across the entirety of Mexico

SOURCE: CNBC

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Sonic the Hedgehog Dominates Christmas Wish Lists

Amazon Strike Called By Teamsters Union 10,000 Walkout

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Sonic the Hedgehog Dominates Christmas Wish Lists

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Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog Merchandise are hot Christmas Items

Sonic the Hedgehog is dominating Christmas wish lists this year. The lovable blue hedgehog is back in the spotlight, from sonic the hedgehog toys and games to sonic the hedgehog coloring pages and movie hype.

Sonic-themed holiday merchandise is on fire, from quirky sweaters to action figures flying off shelves. Sonic the Hedgehog Christmas outfits for kids are selling out fast, making them a go-to gift option for festive fun.

Retailers have been quick to recognize Sonic’s holiday appeal. Special promotions and exclusive items, like the Sonic holiday t-shirts, are everywhere.

Everyone’s stocking up on Sonic merchandise, from big-box stores to boutique retailers.

Online shopping platforms are seeing a surge in searches for Sonic items. Whether it’s Sonic Christmas-themed tops or Sonic the Hedgehog coloring pages, Sonic the Hedgehog toys or Sonic and the Hedgehog 3, the demand is skyrocketing.

Retailers who tap into this trend are sure to see strong holiday sales.

Sonic has been around since the early 90s, but his popularity never wanes. With the release of Sonic 3, fans are more excited than ever.

sonic the hedgehog 4

Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures is preparing “Sonic the Hedgehog 4,” with the newest addition in the family-friendly genre set for a spring 2027 release.

The announcement comes as “Sonic 3” opens in theatres on Friday, estimated to gross $55 million to $60 million from 3,800 North American locations.

The sequel is shaping up to be a good holiday season blockbuster for Paramount, which explains the desire in future “Sonic” adventures. On the international front, the film will be released on Christmas Day in 52 markets.

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics gave “Sonic 3” an outstanding 87% fresh score.

The first two films grossed a total of $725.2 million at the global box office and generated over $180 million in global consumer expenditure through home entertainment rentals and digital purchases.

They also inspired a spinoff Paramount+ series, “Knuckles,” which premiered earlier this year.

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Amazon Strike Called By Teamsters Union 10,000 Walkout

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Amazon Strike Called By Teamsters Union
Teamsters members were demonstrating at "hundreds" of other Amazon locations.

An Amazon strike has hit facilities in the United States in an effort by the Teamsters union to pressure the corporation for a labour agreement during a peak shopping season.

The Teamsters union told the Associated Press that Amazon delivery drivers at seven facilities in the United States walked off the job on Thursday after the firm failed to discuss a labour contract.

According to the union, Amazon employees in Teamsters union jackets were protesting at “hundreds” of additional Amazon facilities, which the union billed as the “largest strike” in US history involving the company.

The corporation, which employs over 800,000 people in its US delivery network, stated that its services will be unaffected.

It was unclear how many people, including members of Germany’s United Services Union, participated in Thursday’s demonstration. The Teamsters union reported that thousands of Amazon employees were implicated in the United States.

Amazon Strike at 10 Locations

Overall, the group claims to represent “nearly 10,000” Amazon strikers, having signed up thousands of people at roughly ten locations across the country, many of whom have joined in recent months.

The organization has claimed recognition from Amazon going on strike, claiming the firm illegally neglected its obligation to bargain collectively over salary and working conditions.

The Teamsters is a long-standing US union with nearly one million members. It is well-known for securing lucrative contracts for its members at companies like delivery behemoth UPS.

Most of the Teamsters’ Amazon campaigns have concerned drivers working for third-party delivery companies that partner with the tech behemoth.

Amazon denies that it is liable as an employer in those circumstances, which is a point of legal contention. In at least one case, labour officials have taken a preliminary stance in favour of the union.

Stalled Contract Negotiations

Amazon employees at a major warehouse on Staten Island in New York have also chosen to join the Teamsters. Their warehouse is the only Amazon facility in the United States where labour officials have formally recognized a union win.

However, the Amazon strike is because contract negotiations have not progressed since the 2022 vote. It was not one of the areas scheduled to go on strike on Thursday.

Amazon, one of the largest employers in the United States, has long received criticism for its working conditions and has been the target of activists seeking to gain traction among its employees.

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