1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: From Bloomberg News and iHeartRadio. It's the big Take. I'm 2 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: West Cassova today what comes next for Donald Trump. There's 3 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: been an avalanche of news coverage and what it means 4 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: analysis about Donald Trump's indictment in New York on Thursday. 5 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: A former president has been indicted. Donald Trump's lawyer says 6 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: he is expected to be arraigned on charges as early 7 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: as Tuesday. A grand jury in Manhattan decided there was 8 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: enough evidence to proceed with a case against him for 9 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: directing hush money payments to a porn star during his 10 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen campaign. It's the first indictment against Trump, but 11 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: not necessarily the last, and it might not even be 12 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: the one that ultimately poses the greatest league peril for 13 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: the former president. Listen, there are probes into Trump's possible 14 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: incitement of the January six protesters. There's an investigation of 15 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: his handling of classified material found at Mara Lago. So really, 16 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: however this plays out, there could be other indictments or 17 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: legal setbacks coming ahead for the president. All of that 18 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: will believe. So today we look beyond that case to 19 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: assess the other ongoing criminal investigations and civil cases involving Trump. 20 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Legal correspondence Zoe Tillman and Eric Larson have been 21 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: tracking them all where they stand, how serious they are, 22 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: and what to expect in the weeks and months ahead. Zoe, 23 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: everyone is understandably talking about the Trump indictment, but there 24 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: are many other investigations related to the former president that 25 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: are still underway. Start by just telling us what is 26 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: the next one that you're really looking at. I think 27 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: that's the million dollar question, because we don't know. And 28 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: for the past few months it sort of felt like, 29 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: you know, one week, all the attention was on the 30 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: investigation in Georgia, where Trump is under investigation for you 31 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: did he commit state crimes in connection with trying to 32 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: undo President Bines win in the twenty twenty election, And 33 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: then you know, the next week it moves over to Washington, 34 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: where there is a Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith, 35 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: who is overseeing two separate investigations surrounding Trump. One also 36 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: related to January sixth, and whether there were any federal 37 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: crimes committed across the country by Trump and his supporters, 38 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: and then also into whether Trump or anyone else committed 39 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: crimes for mishandling classified information, all the documents that were 40 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: found at his Marilago estate, and then the New York 41 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 1: case kind of leap frogged ahead of those. So you know, 42 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: we don't know what's coming next, and it could be 43 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: in a couple of weeks we get a federal indictment 44 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: in one or both of the Jack Smith matter. It 45 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,239 Speaker 1: could be coming up in the spring. We get action 46 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 1: out of Fulton County. Fulton County, of course, that's Georgia. 47 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,239 Speaker 1: You know, we get drips and drabs on those probes. 48 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 1: There's a lot looming and arguably, you know, with higher 49 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: stakes in terms of the types of crimes under investigation 50 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: and the amount of prison time they carry. So you know, 51 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: we don't know what's coming next, and we don't know 52 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: when something might be coming next, but we know there's 53 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: a lot out there. It's interesting the point you make 54 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: about these other cases potentially being more serious, because right 55 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: now we have Trump and his allies really pushing back 56 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: hard on the idea that this case is in nothing burger. 57 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 1: You know, it's relates to payments to a porn start. 58 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: All sounds like a little bit tabloidy, right, But these 59 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: other cases are so much more significant. I mean in 60 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: Fulton County, potentially crimes related to trying to overturn the 61 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: election there with his phone call pressuring state officials to 62 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: find more votes. And then, of course, you know January sixth, 63 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: an insurrection, and then all these hundreds of documents, many 64 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: of them classified, some highly classified, carted off tomorrow lago. 65 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: You know, when these other cases, if they come, if 66 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: he is charged, there's going to be so much more 67 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: at stake for him, and it's going to be a 68 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: lot harder to push back on some of these other 69 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 1: potential crimes because a lot of them we witness events 70 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: around them, happen right on TV in front of our eyes, 71 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: and they've already been recent court cases related to them, 72 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,359 Speaker 1: you know, the fight over the search warrants in Florida 73 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: and whatnot. So this is crazy as this feels now, 74 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 1: it's potentially going to get so much crazier. So let's 75 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 1: take a moment now that you've spelled out the range 76 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: of cases and start to just go through them, and maybe, Zoe, 77 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 1: why don't we start with the Justice Department cases. The 78 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: Justice Department activity entered a new phase late last year 79 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: when the Attorney General Merik Garland brought in Jack Smith, 80 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: who was a long time former Justice Department official and 81 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 1: had then over to the Hague and the Netherlands to 82 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: lead war crimes prosecutions. He had brought Jack Smith back 83 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: to the United States to oversee two different investigations that 84 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: were already well underway. I'm here today to announce the 85 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: appointment of a special Council in connection with two ongoing 86 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: criminal investigations that have received significant public attention. The first, 87 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: as ascribed in court filings in the District of Columbia, 88 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: is the investigation first was into whether Trump longly not 89 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: only took classified material and other government records that he 90 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,279 Speaker 1: was not supposed to take from the White House when 91 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: his term ended, but then held onto them even after 92 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 1: the National Archives got in touch and said you're not 93 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: supposed to have those, we need those back. So there 94 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: was an ongoing investigation sort of happening behind the scenes 95 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: that broke out into the open when last summer the 96 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 1: FBI agents went to Mara Lago with a search warrant, 97 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: which was another unprecedented moment in the history of things 98 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: happening around Donald Trump, and they executed that search warrant 99 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: and they took away boxes of documents, thousands of documents, 100 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: hundreds of which have classified markings. So there was that 101 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: investigation that Jack Smith was then put in charge of. 102 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: And where does that case stand now. It's a bit 103 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: of a black box at the moment. We know grand 104 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 1: jury proceedings are secret, so there's only so much that 105 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: we know about the timeline. We know that it's ongoing, 106 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: we know that it's open, We know that they are 107 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: still putting witnesses before the grand jury. You know, we 108 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: don't know what sort of timeline Smith has to then 109 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: go to the Attorney General if they need to have 110 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: a discussion about bringing charges, and what that would look 111 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 1: like at which point, you know, if there is a 112 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 1: recommendation going back to the grand jury to get an indictment. 113 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: You know, Trump has denied that he did anything wrong 114 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: when it came to the documents, and that this is 115 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: all sound and fury. That being said, the US government 116 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 1: takes the mishandling of classified information extremely seriously, and there 117 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 1: are a number of federal primes, misdemeanors, and felonies that 118 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: they can charge someone for having classified information when they shouldn't, 119 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: even if it wasn't an espionage type situation. And then 120 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: there's the obstruction component if they decide that there was 121 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: a willful effort to get in the way of returning 122 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: these documents, if you know, if they were misleading the 123 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: Archives and the Justice Department. There's a range of felonies 124 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: that carry a significant amount of potential prison time, although 125 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: someone like Trump wouldn't normally face those upper limits even 126 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: if he were convicted down the road. So that alone 127 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: is quite a lot of exposure for one person, let 128 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: alone one of several potential indictments, and we should mention 129 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: that Mark Carland, the Attorney General, also had to appoint 130 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: a special counsel in the case of Joe Biden, who 131 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: was found to also have documents in his garage, So 132 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: an investigation is under way for that too, Eric, And 133 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: that's just one of the Justice Department cases against Trump. 134 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: Can you talk about the other? The other investigation is 135 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: looking into the events around January sixth and the overall 136 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: efforts to overturn the election nationwide as a wide ranging effort. 137 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: We all saw a lot of the efforts by his allies. 138 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: We don't know exactly to what extents Trump personally would 139 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: be on the hook for any of this. Of course, 140 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 1: he's been accused of inciting the insurrection and directing his 141 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: supporters to bring court cases across the US, all of 142 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: which scenario sort of failed, and of course the events 143 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: on January sixth, But as far as how it might 144 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: be pieced together into a potential criminal case, I don't 145 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: think we have any clue, or at least I don't 146 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: exactly how they're building that or even how much they're 147 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 1: emphasizing that investigation over others. We know also for January 148 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: sixth that Jack Smith is still bringing people into the courthouse. 149 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: They've still got outstanding subpoenas, some of those are still 150 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: being litigated. It doesn't have the feeling that it's imminent 151 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: to the extent they feel like they really need to 152 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: hear from Mike Penn's former White House aids you folks 153 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: who are waiting in the queue to come into court 154 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: and wants a judge or an appeals court finally resolves 155 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: these challenges that Trump, I should add, has mostly lost, 156 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,560 Speaker 1: I mean entirely lost at this point. And if Trump 157 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: does get charged in relation to January sixth, the cases 158 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: we've seen so far over January six with the members 159 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 1: of the militia and the individuals who have challenged the charges. 160 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: It hasn't really gone well for a lot of them, 161 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: So you already get a sense that these juries are 162 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: looking at these mountains of evidence and sort of drawing 163 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 1: some pretty severe conclusions. But the big question is will 164 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: that be enough to charge Trump with something specifically? And 165 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: that's not the only investigation into Ruary six that Trump 166 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: is involved in, and you know, there's potential legal exposure 167 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 1: for him that is moving along at already a faster 168 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: pace than the criminal probe, which is a set of 169 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: civil cases that have been filed that he's been litigating, 170 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,959 Speaker 1: brought by Democrats in Congress and police officers who were 171 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 1: there at the Capitol that day and you know, in 172 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: the middle of the violence, seeking to hold him civilly 173 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: liable for that, and judges have already said that he 174 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: cannot claim absolute immunity against those, and he's fighting that 175 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: in an appeals court right now, but the Justice Department 176 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: has said that they are not going to back his 177 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: immunity claim on that. So you know, in terms of 178 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: getting evidence out me open in a courtroom, those civil 179 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: cases have the potential to put a lot more of 180 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 1: that out on the table than the criminal cases, even 181 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: depending on how long it takes before we see anything 182 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: out of the criminal side. More with Zoe and Eric 183 00:10:56,040 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: when we come back Eric. Before the break, Zoe mentioned 184 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: the case in Georgia having to do with Trump's efforts 185 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:17,199 Speaker 1: to overturn the twenty twenty election. Where does that case stand. Yes, 186 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: So just to catch everyone up on what has happened 187 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: in Fulton County so far. Fannie willis the district attorney 188 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: in Fulton County where Atlanta is. She was elected in 189 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: twenty twenty and started her job just right around the 190 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: time of the insurrection. So a lot of people were 191 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: looking at Georgia because it was such an important swing state. 192 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: It was one of the states where Trump and his 193 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: allies tried really hard in court to overturn Joe Biden's victory. 194 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: There an alleging voter fraud that did not occur. Eventually, 195 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: some audio recording came out of Trump pressuring state officials, 196 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 1: the governor, the Secretary of States Brad Raefensberger to find 197 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: more votes. So there was a lot going on behind 198 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: the scenes with Trump and his allies trying to flip 199 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: Georgia to his side, and obviously that it didn't work. Out. 200 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: But once news of this effort got out, Fannie Willis 201 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 1: opened an investigation. And what we know is that a 202 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: special grand jury was convened that heard from dozens of 203 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 1: witnesses over a period of several months. And the way 204 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 1: the system works in Georgia is that this special grand 205 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: jury made a recommendation about indictments. So we don't know 206 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: what those recommendations were. But in February they issued their reports. 207 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: Part of it was made public, not very much of it, 208 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 1: but sort of the intro and the conclusion, which indicated 209 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: that they had recommended some indictments, but we don't know who. 210 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 1: So now what we are expecting the DA to bring 211 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: a case to a regular grand jury that we think 212 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: potentially could convene in early May. We don't know exactly 213 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: how long that's going to take, but we understand that 214 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: those regular grand juries last about two months. Clearly, the 215 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: special grand jury that got a first glimpse at this 216 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 1: evidence thought that what happened in Georgia with Trump and 217 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: his allies someone violated some state laws. Yeah, and we 218 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: had the pretty extraordinary moment of a member of that 219 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: special grand jury going on television to talk about it, 220 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 1: suggesting I would say, suggesting strongly that they had recommended 221 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: charges and probably recommended charges against Donald Trump, although she 222 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: wouldn't say it. We rarely get that kind of insight 223 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: into a grand jury, but this special grand jury was 224 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 1: given leave to do that. They didn't have the power 225 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: to vote to indict. So we don't know what Fannie 226 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: Willis will do with whatever the grand jury wants her 227 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: to do. And what is Trump said about this investigation? 228 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: In this case, In addition to denying having done anything wrong, 229 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: he said that his call with the state officials was 230 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: a perfect call, not his only perfect call. So he 231 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 1: says he did nothing wrong, and he says that the 232 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: case is politically motivated, a witch hunt like the others 233 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: and Zoe. It's early days, as you say. And ultimately, 234 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 1: if charges are brought, what does Trump potentially face. I 235 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,199 Speaker 1: think the prevailing theory is that it would be some 236 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 1: kind of racketeering case, grouping together not just Donald Trump, 237 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: but other people that we've all become very familiar with, 238 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: maybe Rudy Giuliani or John Eastman, you know, these lawyers 239 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: on the right who were part of directing the efforts 240 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 1: on the ground in these states to try and undo 241 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: the election, trying to convince state legislators to stop the 242 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: certification from happening, and both of them say they two 243 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: did nothing wrong. There are state actors and all of 244 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 1: this too, you know, members of the state legislature in 245 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: Georgia who might be implicated. It's state crimes. It's not 246 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: a federal case, so it's different requirements, different players. You know, 247 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: it's possible there other state crimes similar to what is 248 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: under investigation on the federal side, but you obstructing generally 249 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: or fraud. Unlike in the New York case, where it 250 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: was always very clear, I think what the focus was, 251 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: it was much narrower. There's just a range of things 252 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: that could be on the table in both the Justice 253 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: Department and the Fulton County case, just Fulton County specific 254 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: to Georgia and Justice Department nationwide. When we come back, 255 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 1: what to watch for in the months ahead, Eric, there 256 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: are also civil lawsuits ongoing right now. Can you tell 257 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 1: us about them? On April twenty fifth, Donald Trump is 258 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: set to go on trial in a civil sexual assault 259 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: case filed against him last year by Aging Carroll, a 260 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: well known New York author of former l magazine advice 261 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: columnists who alleges that Trump raped her in the nineteen 262 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 1: nineties in a department store dressing room in Manhattan, and 263 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: she filed the suit last year under a new New 264 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 1: York law that lifted the statute of limitations on these 265 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 1: older assault claims temporarily for one year. So I believe 266 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: her suit against Trump was actually the first one to 267 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: be filed on the day that this law took effect. 268 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: And now it's already set for trial. And it also 269 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: includes a claim for defamation, claiming that one of his 270 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: truth social posts on social media attacking her last October 271 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 1: defamed her. So this whole case has been set to 272 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: go for trial. Trump has said that he was going 273 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: to take the witness stand in his own defense. Aging 274 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 1: Carroll was also set to testify, and also several other 275 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 1: witnesses who say they can back up her story. Trump 276 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: has repeatedly denied raping Eging Carroll and claims that her 277 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 1: allegation against him was politically motivated. But we don't know 278 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: exactly what's going to happen to this trial now with 279 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: this indictment. So far, on neither side has asked to 280 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 1: move the case. I know the judge has said he's 281 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:06,920 Speaker 1: very determined to keep it going no matter what. So 282 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: on top of that, in October, Trump is again set 283 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:13,479 Speaker 1: to go on trial, along with three of his kids 284 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: and his company in a two hundred and fifty million 285 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: dollar fraud lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney General, 286 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 1: Letitia James. That suit followed years of investigation claims that 287 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: they all inflated the value of Trump's assets for years, 288 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: specifically to get better terms on loans and insurance and 289 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 1: things like that, and essentially reaped two hundred and fifty 290 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:41,160 Speaker 1: million dollars in improper games over that time. She wants 291 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: to claw all that back, and she also wants to 292 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: ban the Trumps from being directors of any New York 293 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: based company, which could have significant consequences of course for them, 294 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: with the Trump Organization being based in Manhattan. Trump and 295 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: his company and also his kids have denied wrongdoing, and 296 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 1: right now they've lost their motions to dismiss the discovery, 297 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: and the case is ongoing and it is set for 298 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 1: trial in October and then also in New York. Separate 299 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: from these cases that really dominated the headlines during his 300 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: presidency and post presidency, there's other litigation that predates his 301 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: time in the White House. There's a case pending in 302 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: New York brought by disgruntled investors who say that they 303 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:32,360 Speaker 1: put their money into this videophone technology because Trump had 304 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 1: come on and the spokesperson for it saying, this is 305 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: a great investment. Trust me, I'm a great businessman. And 306 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: these investors say that they were duped, that they weren't 307 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: informed that he was being paid to come out and 308 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: tout this investment opportunity, and that it was a really 309 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 1: bad investment opportunity and they lost a lot of money. 310 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 1: And that case has kind of been proceeding in the background, 311 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 1: and I believe Eric you reported Trump sat for a 312 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 1: deposition in that case in the fall, So that seems 313 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 1: to be moving forward as well. And it's not related 314 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 1: to his political activities. It's not related to the insurrection, 315 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: but it's more legal liability that he has to face 316 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 1: at some point. We should say, the device Trump promoted 317 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 1: was sold by a company called ac and the company 318 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 1: is not a defendant in this case and has not 319 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 1: been accused of any wrongdoing. Yeah. The interesting thing about 320 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 1: that case too, is that it really relates to his 321 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 1: behavior as a businessman and not even to his normal 322 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: Trump organization type business with real estate and everything like that, 323 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 1: but his marketing and his persona. These plaintiffs, they're seeking 324 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: a class action status, which is yet to be decided 325 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:44,120 Speaker 1: before the case goes to trial, depending on how many 326 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: plainists end up being part of this class. If indeed 327 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 1: there is a class approved, it could end up being 328 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: millions of dollars in damages here. Trump ends his three 329 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: adult kids, Don Junior, Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump are 330 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: also defendants in that case and his company. They've all 331 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,360 Speaker 1: and i'd wrongdoing. It certainly should be a very interesting 332 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,160 Speaker 1: trial if it happens, So Zoe, how will all these 333 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:13,360 Speaker 1: various prosecutors, judges, lawyers decide the order they should go in? 334 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,199 Speaker 1: Is there going to be a pile up where Donald 335 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:19,160 Speaker 1: Trump potentially could be appearing in courtroom after courtroom, month 336 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,160 Speaker 1: after month. I mean, the short answer to that is yes. 337 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: You know, there is a certain amount of coordination that 338 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: goes on among lawyers and judges and court personnel. Most 339 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: people in this system have an interest in moving these along, 340 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,640 Speaker 1: and judges are not going to interfere with another judges 341 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,680 Speaker 1: hearing trial date. That's incumbent on the lawyers to make 342 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,360 Speaker 1: sure that they communicate that kind of stuff to judges, 343 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, you know, we 344 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: would expect to see a lot of requests for delayed 345 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:50,879 Speaker 1: deadlines for filings and motions, hearings that might need to 346 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: be rescheduled. As a defendant in a criminal case, that 347 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 1: is likely going to take priority over everything else that's 348 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 1: going on. There are certain rights, you know, important constitutional 349 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:05,919 Speaker 1: rights that he now has as a criminal defendant. The 350 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: judge is going to be very sensitive to that, especially 351 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: given the circumstances, and if there are deadlines in that 352 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: criminal case, those are likely going to take some precedence. 353 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 1: I would expect, and I've talked to sources who said 354 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: this over some of the civil matters. You know, he's 355 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:25,199 Speaker 1: running for president, which we haven't really talked about that much. Well, 356 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: let's talk about that too. We expect that Donald Trump 357 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: is going to have to take time off of the 358 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: campaign trail to testify in cases in the middle of 359 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four campaign. It's possible. I think prosecutors, 360 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: you know, are going to try to avoid that as 361 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: much as they have an interest in not getting dragged 362 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 1: down into a discussion about whether this is all politically motivated, 363 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,200 Speaker 1: which they will say it is not, but they don't 364 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,680 Speaker 1: want to be taking him off the campaign trail to 365 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 1: get into court. It's not going to be a good look, 366 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,679 Speaker 1: and you know, public relations wise, that's going to be 367 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 1: a problem. It's going to get really difficult, I think, 368 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,480 Speaker 1: to get them all sorted. If there are multiple cases 369 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: before the primaries pick up early in twenty twenty four. 370 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: As the two of you are both covering all of 371 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 1: these cases, what are the ones that you think pose 372 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: the biggest legal peril for the former president. I don't 373 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: know exactly what the January sixth or election interference case 374 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,159 Speaker 1: could potentially look like, because it's just so broad and 375 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: there's so many different potential cases that could be put together. 376 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 1: So I kind of wonder if the classified records case 377 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: doesn't sort of stand out as being potentially the most serious. 378 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 1: The court finalings that we have seen related to the 379 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: Moralogo search also specify certain crimes that carry quite a 380 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: lot of prison time, and again not saying that he 381 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: would face anywhere near the maximum. It's not really how 382 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 1: that works, but it is a lot more in both 383 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: of those cases than what he seems to be likely 384 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 1: to face in New York on the hush money charges. 385 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: As we've seen, the New York case over the hush 386 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 1: money would not disqualify him from running or serving as 387 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: president even if he were convicted. Do any of these 388 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: other cases disqualify him from serving as president? A conviction 389 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 1: on a lot of these crimes does not necessarily stop 390 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: him from being president should he win that election. On 391 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:28,199 Speaker 1: the classified documents side, there are certain offenses that do 392 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: disqualify someone from holding office, but there's some uncertainty about 393 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 1: how that would apply to the presidency. But you know, 394 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: he can run for office right now. If he's facing 395 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: ten thousand criminal charges, it doesn't matter. And let's be honest, 396 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 1: this criminal case actually is really going to galvanize him 397 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. And this is the perfect 398 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: kind of backdrop almost for part of his campaign, which 399 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 1: is largely based on this idea of Democrats attacking and 400 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,640 Speaker 1: trying to silence Republicans, trying to destroy the Make America 401 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: Great movement, that sort of thing. I think it's important 402 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: to say at the end that regardless of what happens 403 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: in any of this, every prosecutor, state or federal will 404 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 1: tell you that the goal in bringing charges against someone 405 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:18,160 Speaker 1: is not to serve some other political purpose. And at 406 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: the end of the day, the DA's Office, the Justice Department, 407 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 1: the Fulton County District Attorney's office, if they're presenting a 408 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:29,640 Speaker 1: case that they can't win in front of a jury, 409 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: that's a huge problem for them, and they know that 410 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: going into this. So, you know, setting aside sort of 411 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 1: the larger political conversation, you know, at the point that 412 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 1: we get to an indictment, at least in theory, it's 413 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 1: supposed to mean that law enforcement is convinced that a 414 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: crime has been committed, and you know, they really can't 415 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:50,719 Speaker 1: just bring an indictment to make a statement and then 416 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:53,360 Speaker 1: walk away. They have to see this through. I think 417 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 1: it's just important to remember that this is the beginning 418 00:24:55,800 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: and not the end of this process. Zoe, Eric, thanks 419 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: so much for coming on the show. Thank you, thanks 420 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 1: for having us, Thanks for listening to us here at 421 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 1: the Big Take. It's a daily podcast from Bloomberg and iHeartRadio. 422 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: For more shows from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, 423 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,639 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen, and we'd love to hear from you. 424 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: Email us questions or comments to Big Take at Bloomberg 425 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 1: dot Net. The supervising producer of the Big Take is 426 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: Vicky Burgolina. Our senior producer is Katherine Fink. They produced 427 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 1: this episode with additional production support from Mobarrow. Raphael m 428 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 1: Seely is our engineer. Our original music was composed by 429 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: Leo Sidrin. I'm West Kasova. We'll be back tomorrow with 430 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 1: another Big Take.