Free Republic

State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan cleared the courtroom Monday over a dramatic spat with the defense’s first main witness, Robert Costello, causing a period of mayhem at former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Mr. Costello, a lawyer who once spoke to Trump lawyer-turned-accuser Michael Cohen, seemed to take exception to one of Judge Merchan’s objection rulings, uttering “Jeez,” and then sighing, “Strike it.” “You don’t say ‘jeez.’ And you don’t say “strike it,’ because I’m the only one who strikes it,” Judge Merchan told Mr. Costello, an experienced attorney and prosecutor. He also told him not to give...

An attorney who once represented Michael Cohen testified Monday that Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe had told him the ex-president “knew nothing” about the hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels — moments before irking the judge by rolling his eyes and muttering on the stand. Robert “Bob” Costello, the second witness called by Trump’s lawyers at his Manhattan criminal trial, contradicted previous testimony by Cohen that the real estate mogul was aware of the deal to pay Daniels $130,000 to silence her story about having a tryst with him. “Michael Cohen said numerous times that President Trump knew nothing about...

A revision to the municipal code made it illegal for groups of four or more people to convene in public spaces for commercial recreational activities without a government stamp of approval.They come in packs. They're often crunchy. They're chameleons: a downward-facing dog one moment, a cobra or child the next. (What versatility!) They do handstands and breathe peacefully. And we can't have any of that. At least, not on public land. By "they," I'm referring to the world of yogis. And by "we," I mean the city of San Diego, which revised its municipal code in March to prevent groups...

D.C. Police Captain Shot 5 Blocks From His Station A Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department captain who oversees the 4th District Station in the nation’s capital was shot in the head while commuting to work on Monday afternoon. The incident occurred as part of an apparent carjacking attempt around 12:10 PM in the area of 7th Street and Oneida Place Northwest, just five blocks from the police station. According to D.C. police Chief Pamela Smith, the officer was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, with the gunshot wound reportedly being superficial. The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department engaged in a...

President Trump was back in a Manhattan court on Monday in Alvin Bragg’s Soviet-style ‘hush money’ lawfare trial. The prosecutors earlier Monday rolled out their ‘star witness’ Michael Cohen, a convicted perjurer, to take the witness stand. Cohen shocked the public when he admitted he stole tens of thousands of dollars from Trump and lied to Trump Org. CFO Allen Weisselberg. After the prosecution rested their case, Trump’s defense team called attorney Robert Costello to the witness stand.

WASHINGTON — Indicted first son Hunter Biden suggested in a new interview that he didn’t introduce his father to an executive from a Ukrainian gas company that was paying Hunter a million-dollar salary — despite testifying to Congress that then-Vice President Joe Biden dined with the very same Burisma Holdings executive. The 54-year-old brazenly backpedaled days after a fresh report that “sugar brother” Kevin Morris, who has bankrolled Hunter since meeting him at a presidential campaign fundraiser in late 2019, is “completely tapped out” after giving or loaning the scandal-plagued Biden at least $4.9 million. President Biden’s son told The...

A carjacker stole a Los Angeles police SUV with a female cop still inside — before speeding off and crashing it just after the female officer was “ejected” and dragged down the road, according to officials. The unidentified officer was conducting “security detail” in downtown LA at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday when the man suddenly jumped into the squad car and attacked her, NBC LA reported. The cop was “ejected” from the vehicle at some point and fell onto the road as the suspect fled, police said. It was unclear if the officer was pushed, but she was dragged down...

Israel claims to have found about 50 cross-border tunnels underneath the boundary between Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, and Egypt — tunnels that could have been used by Hamas terrorists to smuggle in weapons to use against Israel. The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies noted on Friday: Israel went public on May 17 with the discovery of 50 smuggling tunnels leading from the southern Gazan city of Rafah to Egypt. Defending Israel against South African-filed genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice, attorney Gilad Noam devoted part of his remarks to the ongoing military operation in Rafah, a...

The prosecution’s 'star witness' Michael Cohen is back on the stand for a third day, as the court waits with bated breath to find out whether former President Donald Trump could testify himself. He finally admitted under oath that he stole $60,000 from the Trump Organization by ‘grossing up’ payments for tax. Donald Trump was seen shaking his head as his former ‘fixer’ made the revelation, confirming he’s a common thief. Cohen also dramatically revealed that he dealt with an apparent photo ‘extortion’ blackmail attempt involving the ex-president’s daughter, Tiffany. Cohen admits he was handling Tiffany Trump ‘blackmail’ Blanche continues...

According to reports, a school security officer saw one of the students walk past another student and begin throwing up gang signs. That is when the student threw a graduation binder at the victim. As the first student was being held back, the victim jumped over three rows of seats and began hitting him. Two other students jumped into the fight.

Many Ukrainians see Volodymyr Zelensky as a dictator who has betrayed his own country for a handful of silver. From tomorrow, May 20th, Zelensky’s presidential term is formally at an end—but no new elections will be held as long as Ukraine is under martial law because he would be overwhelmingly voted out. He preaches that Ukraine is fighting for freedom and then denies them the right to vote on his policies – so much for freedom and democracy. Zelensky has no incentive for peace at this point in time. Zelensjy won the election, which some say was rigged, promising PEACE...

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Monday he is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in connection with their actions during the seven-month war. Karim Khan said that he believes Netanyahu, his defense minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders—Yehya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh—are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Michael Cohen JUST ADMITTED he stole $60k from President Trump.. THIS IS YOUR STAR WITNESS FOLKS.. https://x.com/ChuckCallesto/status/1792562609008398621

CHICAGO (WLS) -- At least 45 people have been shot, one fatally, in gun violence across Chicago so far this weekend, police said. Two teenage boys and a man were wounded in a drive-by shooting in the Austin neighborhood Friday evening. They were standing near the sidewalk around 7:30 p.m. in the 5500-block of West Quincy Street when a black Kia drove by and someone from inside opened fire, Chicago police said. About an hour later, six men were shot on Chicago's West Side, police said. The men were on the street when multiple suspects opened fire, police said. Three...

Please feel free to delete this sidebar moderator. Andy just said that Cohen admitted on the stand that he STOLE $60K from DJT and never got prosecuted for it!!

President Joe Biden delivered a bleak commencement address this weekend, characterizing America as a racist place that does not love black people. Biden gave a commencement speech at Morehouse College in Atlanta on Sunday where he appeared to characterize America in the harshest light in terms of race relations. “You started college just as George Floyd was murdered,” Biden proclaimed. “And there was a reckoning on race. It’s natural to wonder if the democracy you hear about actually works for you.”

Two people sustained non-life-threatening injuries in a shooting that occurred Sunday at Cape Central High School’s graduation ceremony, held at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Channel3 Now reported the incident, which occurred shortly after 2:30 p.m., following a fight that broke out in the upper level of the Show Me Center. One shot was fired after the fight, and two people were injured. WSIL noted that the school released a statement after the incident, which said, “No students or staff members were injured. Thanks to the assistance of staff members at the Show-Me Center, we were able...

The man accused of raping a stranger on a metro Philadelphia train full of bystanders who cops say stood and filmed is a Congolese national present in the US illegally, according to a new report.

The German liberal press had waxed lyrical over Moise Lohombo and how he had turned his life around after a life of crime. He's just been sentenced to nine years for beating and raping his own mother ... A Congolese refugee, previously described by the German press as a success story for integration, has been jailed for nine years after being convicted of beating and raping his own mother. Moise Lohombo, 30, was sentenced by the Wiesbaden District Court for an offense the judge claimed was so cruel he told the court he thought he had misread the case file....

Julian Assange has won a victory in his ongoing battle against extradition from the UK after judges at the high court in London granted him leave to appeal. Two judges deferred a decision in March on whether Assange, who is trying to avoid being prosecuted in the US on espionage charges relating to the publication of thousands of classified and diplomatic documents, could take his case to another appeal hearing. Assange had been granted permission to appeal only if the Biden administration was unable to provide the court with suitable assurances “that the applicant [Assange] is permitted to rely on...