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Michael Cohen

Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe at a 2013 congressional hearing | Jay Mallin/Zuma Press/Newscom

Donald Trump

Laurence Tribe Bizarrely Claims Trump Won the 2016 Election by Falsifying Business Records in 2017

That take on the former president's New York conviction echoes similarly puzzling claims by many people who should know better.

Jacob Sullum | 6.7.2024 1:20 PM

Donald Trump sits in a courtroom | Mark Peterson/UPI/Newscom

Donald Trump

A Jumble of Legal Theories Failed To Give Trump 'Fair Notice' of the New York Charges Against Him

The lack of a clear rationale for charging Trump with 34 felonies raises a due process issue that is likely to figure in his appeals.

Jacob Sullum | 6.6.2024 2:35 PM

Donald Trump at a press conference after his New York conviction | John Angelillo/UPI/Newscom

Donald Trump

The Prosecution's Story About Trump Featured Several Logically Impossible Claims

Whatever Trump did after the 2016 presidential election, it seems safe to say that it did not retroactively promote his victory.

Jacob Sullum | 5.31.2024 1:35 PM

Donald Trump sits in a courtroom | Mark Peterson/UPI/Newscom

Donald Trump

Trump's Conviction Suggests Jurors Bought the Prosecution's Dubious 'Election Fraud' Narrative

There was a glaring mismatch between the charges against the former president and what prosecutors described as the essence of his crime.

Jacob Sullum | 5.30.2024 8:00 PM

Donald Trump enters the courtroom during his trial in Manhattan. | Charly Triballeau/UPI/Newscom

Donald Trump

Trump Jury Instructions Invite Conviction Based on a Hodgepodge of Dubious Theories

The judge said the jurors need not agree about the "unlawful means" that Trump allegedly used to promote his 2016 election.

Jacob Sullum | 5.29.2024 5:25 PM

Donald Trump enters the courtroom during his trial in Manhattan | Spencer Platt/UPI/Newscom

Donald Trump

Prosecutors Say Trump Tried to 'Hoodwink the American Voter,' Which Is Not a Crime

Closing arguments in the former president's trial highlight the mismatch between the charges and the "election fraud" he supposedly committed.

Jacob Sullum | 5.28.2024 5:50 PM

Donald Trump at his New York criminal trial | Curtis Means/UPI/Newscom

Prosecutors

Prosecutors Are Still Hedging on Exactly What 'Crime' Trump Tried To 'Aid' or 'Conceal'

This week the judge presiding over Trump's trial ruled that jurors do not have to agree on any particular legal theory.

Jacob Sullum | 5.24.2024 3:10 PM

Donald Trump sits in a courtroom | Mark Peterson/UPI/Newscom

Donald Trump

Alvin Bragg's Case Against Trump Presents a Tangle of Interacting Laws and Intent Puzzles

To convert a hush payment into 34 felonies, prosecutors are relying on a chain of assumptions with several weak links.

Jacob Sullum | 5.22.2024 3:35 PM

Donald Trump at his New York criminal trial | Curtis Means/UPI/Newscom

Donald Trump

The 'Heart' of Alvin Bragg's Case Against Trump Is Misdirection

Contrary to what prosecutors say, the former president is not charged with "conspiracy" or "election fraud."

Jacob Sullum | 5.15.2024 12:01 AM

Stormy Daniels | SDB/ZOJ/Sheri Determan/WENN/Newscom

Donald Trump

The Details of Stormy Daniels' Story About Sex With Trump Are Legally Irrelevant

Under the prosecution's theory, Trump would be guilty of falsifying business records even if Daniels made the whole thing up.

Jacob Sullum | 5.10.2024 4:10 PM

Stormy Daniels | SMG/Zuma Press/Newscom

Donald Trump

Stormy Daniels' 'Credibility Issues' Reflect a Broader Problem With Key Witnesses Against Trump

New York prosecutors are relying on testimony from several people who do not seem trustworthy.

Jacob Sullum | 5.8.2024 4:05 PM

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg | Steve Sands/New York Newswire/Mega/Newscom

Donald Trump

Alvin Bragg Says Trump Tried To Conceal 'Another Crime.' What Crime?

The leading possibilities are all problematic in one way or another.

Jacob Sullum | 4.15.2024 1:30 PM

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg | Mayer/Mega/JMNEW2/Newscom

Donald Trump

Alvin Bragg Is Trying To Punish Trump for Something That Is Not a Crime

The essence of the case, the Manhattan D.A. says, is that Trump "corrupt[ed] a presidential election" by concealing embarrassing information.

Jacob Sullum | 2.16.2024 2:05 PM

Donald Trump | Orit Ben-Ezzer/Zuma Press/Newscom

Donald Trump

Transforming Stormy Daniels' Hush Payment Into a Felony Would Reinforce Trump's 'Witch Hunt' Complaint

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg reportedly intends to prosecute Trump for falsifying business records.

Jacob Sullum | 3.10.2023 3:30 PM

spnphotosnine295570 | Barry Brown / SplashNews/Newscom

Reason Roundup

FEC Drops Case Against Trump for Alleged Hush Money Payments

Plus: The difference between conservatives and libertarians, Utah Supreme Court upholds sex changes on birth certificates, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 5.7.2021 9:30 AM

Large image on homepages | C-Span

Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen Acknowledges His Own Lies While Calling Out Trump's

"I can only warn you that the people who follow Trump as I did, blindly, are going to suffer the same consequences that I did."

Scott Shackford | 2.27.2019 4:36 PM

Large image on homepages | Neil Hall/REUTERS/Newscom

Reason Roundup

Michael Cohen Slated to Link Donald Trump to Wikileaks Today: Reason Roundup

Plus: Using "fake news" to justify censorship, and Elizabeth Warren's childcare plan

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 2.27.2019 9:30 AM

Large image on homepages

Donald Trump

Trump's Cluelessness Remains His Best Defense Against Charges That He 'Knowingly and Willfully' Violated Campaign Finance Law

If Trump did not recognize hush payments to his (alleged) former mistresses as illegal campaign contributions, he is not criminally culpable.

Jacob Sullum | 12.10.2018 2:20 PM

Large image on homepages | ANDREW KELLY/REUTERS/Newscom

Russia Probe

Prosecutors Recommend Prison for Cohen, Say He Paid off Women on Trump's Behalf

Manafort, meanwhile, tried to conceal that he was still talking to Trump administration officials after he was indicted.

Scott Shackford | 12.7.2018 6:45 PM

Large image on homepages | Wes Bruer/ZUMA Press/Newscom

Reason Roundup

Putin's Potential Penthouse in Trump Tower Moscow Launches Investigation: Reason Roundup

Plus: CNN fires Marc Lamont Hill for Palestine comments and the link between life expectancy declines, opioid pills, and prohibition.

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 11.30.2018 9:45 AM

Large image on homepages

Stormy Daniels

Ignorance Is Trump's Excuse

Given the president's confusion about campaign finance law, how could he have "knowingly and willfully" violated it?

Jacob Sullum | 8.29.2018 12:01 AM

Large image on homepages | Lucas Jackson/REUTERS/Newscom

Michael Cohen

Rabbinical Law, The 5th Amendment, and Michael Cohen's Guilty Plea

The same civil liberties that protect accused communists or street criminals may also protect the president or his lawyer. They protect us all.

Ira Stoll | 8.27.2018 4:30 PM

Large image on homepages

Donald Trump

The Unindicted Co-Conspirator in the Oval Office

Donald Trump will serve the remainder of his presidency under the specter of prison.

Steve Chapman | 8.23.2018 12:01 AM

Large image on homepages

Brett Kavanaugh

Does Cohen-Manafort Mean Supreme Court Nominee Kavanaugh Can't Be Confirmed?

Liberal critics want the Senate to hit the pause button. Will it?

Damon Root | 8.22.2018 12:18 PM

Large image on homepages

Donald Trump

Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort Are a Reminder That Donald Trump Surrounds Himself With Crooks

It's no surprise that the president's has shady associates. It's still damning.

Peter Suderman | 8.22.2018 11:43 AM

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