Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen pleads guilty in hush-money scheme
Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump‘s former personal lawyer and “fixer,” pleaded guilty Tuesday to campaign-finance violations and other charges, saying he and Trump arranged the payment of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels and a former Playboy model to influence the election. The guilty plea came almost at the same moment former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was convicted in Alexandria, Virginia, of eight financial crimes in the first trial to come out of special counsel Robert Mueller‘s sprawling Russia investigation. In a deal reached with federal prosecutors, Cohen, 51, pleaded guilty to eight counts in all, including tax evasion and making a false statement to a financial institution. He could get about four to five years in prison at sentencing Dec. 12. In entering the plea, Cohen did not name the two women or even Trump, recounting instead that he worked with an “unnamed candidate.” But the amounts and the dates all lined up with the payments made to Daniels and Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal. Cohen said the first payment was “in coordination and at the direction of a candidate for federal office,” and the second was made “under direction of the same candidate.” As cable networks were showing split-screen coverage of the dueling conviction and plea bargain by two former loyalists, Trump boarded Air Force One in the afternoon on the way to a rally in West Virginia. He ignored shouted questions to reporters about both former aides, retreating to his private stateroom on the airliner. Cohen’s plea follows months of scrutiny from federal investigations and a falling-out with the president, whom he previously said he would “take a bullet” for. The FBI raided Cohen’s hotel room, home and office in April and seized more than 4 million items. The search sought bank records, communications with Trump’s campaign and information on a $130,000 payment to Daniels and a $150,000 one to McDougal. Both women claimed Trump had affairs with them, which he denies. Trump denied to reporters in April that he knew anything about Cohen’s payments to Daniels, though the explanation from the president and his attorney Rudy Giuliani have shifted multiples times since. The president has fumed publicly about what he felt was government overreach, while privately worrying about what material Cohen may have after working for the Trump Organization for a decade. Trump branded the raid “a witch hunt,” an assault on attorney-client privilege and a politically motivated attack by enemies in the FBI. “Obviously it’s not good for Trump,” Sol Wisenberg, who conducted grand jury questioning of President Bill Clinton during the Whitewater investigation, said of Cohen plea bargain. “I’m assuming he’s not going to be indicted because he’s a sitting president, Wisenberg added. “But it leads him closer to ultimate impeachment proceedings, particularly if the Democrats take back the House.” The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, which provides legal advice and guidance to executive branch agencies, has held that a president cannot be indicted while in office. Trump’s lawyers have said that Mueller plans to adhere to that guidance, though Mueller’s office has never confirmed that. There would presumably be no bar against charging a president after he leaves the White House. Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor and professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, noted that the deal does not require Cohen to cooperate, but does not preclude it from happening, which should be worrying to the president and his allies. “What it shows is that the people close to the president have criminal exposure and it may mean they don’t need Cohen to cooperate,” she said. Levenson argued that the deal also knocks back the argument that the investigations swirling around Trump are a “witch hunt.” “No longer can you say Mueller is on a witch hunt when you have his own lawyer pleading guilty to things that were designed to impact the election,” she said. Mueller’s team is looking into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The team referred the case involving Cohen’s financial dealings to federal prosecutors in Manhattan. Before the election, Cohen had been a trusted member of the Trump organization, working out of an office in Trump Tower next to one used by his boss. He raised millions for Trump’s campaign and, after being interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee last year, told Vanity Fair that Trump had no part in the suspected Russian conspiracy to tamper with the election. The president’s initial support for Cohen after the raid soon degenerated into a public feud, prompting speculation that, to save himself, Cohen might be willing to tell prosecutors some of the secrets he helped Trump keep. When Cohen’s team produced a recording he had made of Trump discussing one of the hush-money payments, Trump tweeted: “What kind of lawyer would tape a client? So sad!” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Five things you need to know about Chad Hanson
In the race for Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Place 2, Chad Hanson beat out incumbent Terri Thomas in the June 5 primary. Now, facing no Democratic challenger in the November general election, Hanson has presumably won his race and will become Court of Civil Appeals Place 2 Judge in 2019. With that in mind, here are the five things you need to know about Chad Hanson: 1. He’s the founding partner of Seal Hanson LLC Hanson attended the University of Alabama to receive his undergraduate degree, and the Mississippi College School of Law to earn his Juris Doctorate in 2000. In 2008, Hanson founded his own practice, Seal Hanson LLC in Birmingham, where he currently practices. 2. He Beat an incumbent, and spent very little money doing it Incumbent Court of Civil Appeals Place 2 Judge Terri Thomas was backed by the Business Council of Alabama, and raking in the donations when Hanson won just over 53 percent of the votes in the June 5 primary. According to Hanson, “she spent about $140,000 and I spent about $5.” 3. He’s not new to leadership Hanson was not only the founding member of his law firm, he also founded the Vestavia Hills Civitan Club, and the Trussville Civitan Club, where he served as president. He also served as president of the Center Point Chamber of Commerce, according to Birmingham Watch. 4. He’s the son of two educators Hanson is the youngest son of two educators, and his father served as superintendent on the local school board. He says he learned his strong work ethic from his father as he watched him serve his community through leadership, according to his campaign website. 5. He’s been married for 18 years and has two daughters Hanson has been married to the same woman for eighteen years, and they have two daughters together. The family attends Faith Community Fellowship church in Trussville.
Mobile refuses money for University of South Alabama football stadium
The city of Mobile is refusing to put $10 million into an on-campus stadium for the University of South Alabama. News outlets report City Council members voted against the proposal by a 4-3 margin on Tuesday. University officials had sought the money over a 20-year span to help pay for a 25,000-seat football stadium proposed for the campus. Mayor Sandy Stimpson supported the plan, saying it would save the city money over the long run as opposed to maintaining the municipally owned Ladd Stadium. But council members turned down the plan, with some questioning what would happen to Ladd Stadium, where the Senior Bowl game is played each year. The mayor says in a statement that the city will accumulate $225 million in maintenance for Ladd, which opened in 1948. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
John Merrill announces online business filings now available in Montgomery County
Submitting mandatory business filings in Alabama is going to be a little bit easier for residents in Montgomery County thanks to Secretary of State John Merrill. On Tuesday, Merrill announced the continued expansion of online filing tools for citizens and businesses to submit filing documentation to the Secretary of State’s Office and the county Probate Judge’s Office, when the county signed on to provide its citizens the ability to form a Domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC) through an online portal on the website of the Alabama Secretary of State. This latest expansion, was accomplished in collaboration with Montgomery County Probate Judge Steven Reed. Online filings The Alabama Secretary of State’s Office is the repository for all business filings in the state of Alabama. State law requires the state to record these filings and for them to be made available to the public for inspection. It also requires a fee be charged and empowers the Secretary of State to charge an additional $100 to expedite the filings process; however, with Merrill’s increased efficiencies in the administration of these processes, this fee is no longer necessary, providing additional cost savings to the people of the Alabama. In an effort to further expedite the processing time for new or existing businesses in Alabama, Secretary Merrill implemented an online filing system to allow businesses to complete the registration process without extended time away from their new venture. In May, Baldwin County’s Probate Judge Tim Russell and Jackson County’s Probate Judge Victor Manning became the first counties to implement the program, which is completely free for any county that agrees to participate. Montgomery is Alabama’s latest county to join the program. Merrill’s history of cutting burdensome red tape When Secretary Merrill was campaigning to become Alabama’s 53rd Secretary of State, he learned that state filings were delayed up to periods of between five to nine months from the time of receipt in the Secretary of State’s Office. This length of time did not pay respect to Alabama’s working businesses and families and, with that in mind, Secretary Merrill has worked to process business corporation filings on a “same day, no later than next business day” approach. The need to even provide for an expedite fee has virtually been eliminated. “It is important for the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office to work with all our counties to enhance online business services to benefit Alabamians who wish to form a business corporation. When business thrives our communities prosper and, with both, the quality of life for all our citizens improves. Government should never make forming a business difficult. Instead, we should be working to make government work at the speed of business,” said Merrill. This process is currently available for domestic limited liability filings and For-Profit Domestic Business Corporations. As time progresses, additional services will be added such as the ability to form online Domestic Nonprofit Corporations, LPs, LLPs, LLLPs and Professional Associations. All of the electronic services offered by the Secretary of State’s Office can be found on the website at sos.alabama.gov under the Business Services app icon.
Checking in: What has Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle been up to?
Ever wonder what your mayor been up to each month? Sure you may have helped elect them, but what happens after that? Alabama Today has you covered. Each month we’ll highlight what the Yellowhammer State’s Big 5 mayors have been doing in an effort to hold them accountable and keep things more transparent. From celebrating the 50 anniversary of the launch that took man to the moon, to writing a blog post on why Huntsville should be the home of the new U.S. Space Force — Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle has had one busy month. Here’s what he’s been up to for the last month: July 17 Battle joined U.S. Space and Rocket Center CEO Dr. Deborah Barnhart in announcing several events to commemorate the 50 anniversary of the launch that took Man to the Moon. July 18 Battle attended the ribbon cutting for Woodbridge Alabama, celebrating the creation of new jobs. Woodbridge Alabama is a Plastics, and Special Equipment Manufacturer in Huntsville, Ala. July 20 Battle published a blog post on the city’s blog, on why Huntsville should be the new home of the U.S. Space Force. “The Trump administration recently challenged the Department of Defense to stand up a branch of the Armed Forces to protect space as a national security priority,” Battle wrote. “I believe Huntsville is the answer to that challenge,” he continued. “As the space environment becomes even more complex, and the risks involved in losing critical assets in space continue to increase, there is no place better equipped than Huntsville to grow space leaders and solutions for a new U.S. Space Force.” July 25 In anticipation of the beginning of the school year, Battle met with principal of McNair Junior High School, Dr.Carlita Collins. “We have great leaders in our schools. Good luck this year,” Battle posted on Facebook. July 27 Battle recognized amateur boxer Obed“RADAR”Bartee II for winning the National Junior Olympics, giving him a Certificate of Commendation from the City of Huntsville. July 30 Battle joined the Huntsville Police Department in honoring three officers who saved every resident and pet from a burning apartment building earlier in the year. July 31 Joined by Governor Kay Ivey, Battle announced the opening of South Memorial Parkway to traffic. “After two and a half years of expedited construction, the main line overpasses on South Memorial Parkway are now open to motorists,” Battle’s weekly update read. “The project was made possible through Restore Our Roads, a $250 million cost-sharing package for eight major state road projects in Huntsville with the Alabama Department of Transportation.” He then presented Ivey with a special token of appreciation, “for the partnership between the City and the State to make this project and many more possible,” he posted on Facebook. August 1 The city of Huntsville announced a music ecosystem survey to gather additional public input for a citywide music audit, aimed at musicians and music industry stakeholders to learn more about what the public thinks about Huntsville becoming a music-rich city. “We have an amazing opportunity here, to figure this out and direct our future as a music city,” Battle said in a Press Release. “If we do this right, and the public participates, we can develop a vibrant and healthy music ecosystem that will generate social, cultural and economic benefits.” August 2 Battle journeyed to the White House to meet with Cabinet Officials as part of an Alabama elected leaders visit. August 7 Battle attended the annual Space and Missile Defense (SMD) Symposium, the leading educational, professional development and networking event in the space and missile defense community to meet with industry and military leaders. August 16 Battle presented NASA Administrator James Bridenstine a coin from the city of Huntsville to honor his visit to Huntsville and the Marshall Space Flight Center.
Poll: Support for school choice growing among Republicans
Support for charter schools and private school voucher programs has gone up over the past year, with Republicans accounting for much of the increase, according to a survey published Tuesday. The findings by Education Next, a journal published by Harvard’s Kennedy School and Stanford University, come as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos promotes alternatives to traditional public schools. Forty-four percent of respondents in the poll conducted in May said they support the expansion of charter schools, compared to 39 percent in 2017. The gain of 5 percentage points, however, did not fully offset the drop in support from 51 percent in 2016. When broken down according to party affiliation, 57 percent of Republicans and 36 percent of Democrats voiced support for charter schools, compared to 47 percent of Republicans and 34 percent of Democrats in 2017. “Support is up among Republicans for various strategies to expand school choice, and the Trump administration’s embrace of those policies is a likely explanation,” said Martin West, associate professor of education at Harvard University and a co-author of the report. Nina Rees, president of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools said the findings “demonstrate through the educational choices they make for their children – families want high-quality charter school options for their kids. “Above all else, parents care that their child has access to an excellent school, and as education advocates it is our job to ensure that wish becomes a reality,” Rees added. Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, noted that support for charters has risen mostly among Republicans. “I hate to see an issue turn into a partisan question,” Lake said. “I don’t think that an education policy that’s designed to get better outcomes for kids should ever be a partisan issue.” Support for publicly funded vouchers given to low-income families to help them pay tuition at private school rose from 37 percent to 42 percent over the past year. The Education Department welcomed the results of the poll. “The data consistently show that parents want more education options for their kids and when they are empowered with options, they like it and their kids benefit,” said press secretary Elizabeth Hill. “Education freedom is the future.” Meanwhile, Americans seem to be more satisfied with their local police and the post office than with their neighborhood school. While 51 percent of respondents said they would give their local schools a grade of A or B, 68 percent gave the local post office a similar grade and 69 percent the local police. “It makes sense that only 50 percent of Americans are giving their public school a good grade of an A or a B that they would express support for alternatives to those public schools,” said Patrick McGuinn, a professor of political science and education at Drew University. In the Black Lives Matter era, African-American respondents gave their local police much lower marks than other respondents, but their views of their local schools were even worse. Thirty-nine percent gave their local schools an A or a B, while the local police force received such marks from 43 percent of African-American respondents. The study also found that many Americans favor raising teacher salaries and increasing school funding in the aftermath of teachers walking out of schools in six states earlier this spring to protest pay and other issues. Informed about average teacher earnings in their state, nearly half said they support raising teacher pay. That number was 67 percent when respondents were not told explicitly how much their local teachers were making. Nationally, the average teacher’s salary was $58,950 in 2017, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. “The sense of economic insecurity for teachers is very strong and there is growing support for higher pay, not just from teachers but from the broader community,” said Evan Stone, CEO of Educators For Excellence, a teachers’ advocacy organization. West said that while many believe teachers should be making more, there is disagreement over whether they should be compensated based on how much their students learn or using some other metric. “To the extent that the debate moves from how much are teachers are paid to how they are paid, there is potential for continued conflict,” West said. The Education Next survey was based on interviews with 4,601 adults across the country. The margin of error was 1.4 percentage points. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Steve Marshall talks illegal immigration, drug trafficking at White House event
Concerned with border security and the crime associated with cross-border drug trafficking and illegal immigration, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall accepted an invitation to the White House to participate in a panel discussion on Monday about cooperation between federal, state, and local government in protecting national borders. Chaired by Mercy Schlapp, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications, the panel consisted of Marshall, along with CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan, ICE Deputy Director Ron Vitiello, U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA), Governor Doug Ducey (R-AZ), and Cochise County, Arizona, Sheriff Mark J. Dannels in a discussion in the East Room of the White House. “Due to our state’s proximity to Atlanta, a major distribution point for drugs, and to Texas, a border state, Alabama has become a prime transit point for drug trafficking,” said Marshall. “We see marijuana, cocaine, meth, and now illicit fentanyl coming into our state as a result. The drug trade brings dangerous and violent illegal aliens into Alabama. Just this summer, our state was rocked by the brutal murder of a special needs 13-year-old girl—killed by affiliates of the Mexican drug cartel. I am grateful to the President and the White House for allowing me to share the observations of Alabama law enforcement and our citizens.” The day also featured an immigration a ceremony with President Donald Trump‘s that honored the men and women of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). There, agents, ho have been caught in the crosshairs of the immigration policy debate as they uphold their sworn duty to enforce the law, were brought to the podium to note their achievements in addressing unlawful border crossings and stemming the flow of illicit drugs. “As the chief law enforcement officer of the State of Alabama, I want to thank each member of ICE and CBP for your courage and your loyalty to enforcing the laws of this country in the face of irresponsible rhetoric and meritless attacks,” added Marshall. “The people of Alabama thank you, too. The work of ICE and CBP has a direct connection to the safety of the citizenry that extends far beyond those states that are on the border.” Marshall continued, “A shared mission and strong partnership between state and local law enforcement and the brave agents of ICE and CBP are in the best interest of public safety and I am pleased with the coordination that I see in Alabama. But in the immigration debate, public safety is not the only threat we must contend with. The rule of law—America’s bedrock principle—is under attack as well.” Marshall singled out Trump and former Alabama U.S. Senator, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions for their strong support of border security. “Under the previous administration, amnesty programs were unconstitutionally initiated by executive fiat and without any action from Congress. The former United States Attorney General turned a blind eye to sanctuary cities that brazenly refused to work with ICE and CBP,” said Marshall. “The Justice Department also failed to cooperate with Congress when Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed in relation to a botched gunwalking operation. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, Attorney General Sessions, and Secretary [Kristjen] Nielsen, we have finally begun to see the pendulum swing in the other direction. But the work is far from over. We must secure our borders and we must restore respect for the rule of law throughout this country. The men and women of ICE and CBP are critical to securing our borders, and Attorneys General—I believe—must play a major role in restoring the rule of law.” Watch the White House panel discussion below:
Steve Marshall on ‘In God we Trust’ proposal: ‘we’ll stand up for anybody who does it’
As students near the end of the first month of classes across the state, a new law is allowing schools to bring God back to Alabama public schools; and legal challenges are expected to follow. Earlier this month, the Blount County school board is positioned to become the first system to display the motto publicly, and Blount County Superintendent Rodney Green told AL.com a policy could be drafted within the next month. “You would think that something that passes the Legislature won’t be challenged in the courtroom but we all know that it can and probably will,” Green told the Associated Press. But Attorney General Steve Marshall is ready to fight anyone who challenges the new policy, “We ought to be able to display the nation’s motto, and to be able to do it without fear of litigation, we’ll stand up for anybody who does it,” Marshall told Gray DC. “In God We Trust” has been the official motto of the United States since 1956 and back in March, the State Legislature passed HB228: The National Motto “In God We Trust” Act, which allows the national motto to be placed on government agencies and offices, in and on public buildings, including public school classrooms across the state. “I think this is our nation’s motto ‘In God we trust.” It’s been challenged in federal court for multiple reasons including for being on our currency, it’s been dismissed out of hand by federal courts; there’s no reason why it wouldn’t be true in Alabama,” Marshall continued. “We believe it’s an appropriate use of government authority to be able to stand behind the motto of this president, and we ought to be able to continue to do that.”
Former Birmingham mayoral candidate Fernandez Sims forms nonprofit for families of murder victims
Over the years, Birmingham’s Fernandez Sims has built an impressive resume — from Pastor, to veteran in both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps infantry units, bereavement counselor, case manager at Impact Family Services. Now, the former Magic City mayoral candidate, is adding another notch to his belt: founder of a nonprofit to support families of murder victims and help diffuse community violence. For Sims, deciding to found the group was deeply personal. He he was inspired to create the group after the feelings he endured after the loss of his brother, Christopher, 26 years ago. Now he wants to help others who find themselves in a similar place. The group will bring victim’s families food, help them with funeral expenses and seek peace for the survivors. “We will also do conflict resolution in those communities themselves. Whether it will be with groups or families. We have to de-escalate the violence in our communities,” he told WVTM-13.
15 years ago today, the Ten Commandments monument fight took center stage in Alabama
August 21, 2003 Alabama’s top judge, Chief Justice Roy Moore, was embroiled in a very public dispute over a Ten Commandments monument in the Heflin-Torbert Judicial Building. Two years earlier, Moore had placed in the state judicial building a 5,280-pound granite block monument, which was covered with quotes from the Declaration of Independence, the national anthem and various Founding Fathers, with the Ten Commandments resting on top. Months later, several groups filed suit for the monument to be removed. In 2002, a federal judge ruled the monument must be removed but Moore refused. The ruling was upheld on appeal. On Aug. 21, 2003, the other eight justices on the Alabama Supreme Court voted to remove the monument. Moore that November was removed from his position as chief justice for defying the court order to remove the monument, but would return to political office years later.
