January 12, 2024

Friday, January 12, 2024. Annette’s News Roundup.

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Joe is always busy.

On gun violence, the President referenced Trump. 👇

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Kamala is always busy.

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Trump update.

TFG admitted he received $8 million from China. Yes, he did - "I don't get 8 million dollars for doing nothing.”

Touch to watch Trump’s admission.👇

Trump lashes out at judge in closing arguments of civil fraud trial.

There was a bomb threat at the home of Justice Arthur Engoron, the judge presiding over the New York civil fraud case, yesterday.

But the so-called “swatting” (a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to bring a large number of police officers to a particular address) didn’t delay the trial.

NEW YORK — Donald Trump accused the judge in his civil fraud trial of having his “own agenda,” berating the judge to his face in brief courtroom remarks that defied the judge’s attempts to control Trump’s rhetoric.

For about five minutes on Thursday, Trump spoke while seated at the defense table as Justice Arthur Engoron, brow furrowed, watched him from the bench.

In the days preceding, Trump lawyer Chris Kise had requested permission from Engoron for Trump to participate in the case’s closing arguments — an unusual request for a defendant represented by counsel. Engoron said he would allow Trump to speak only if the former president agreed to abide by a long list of conditions, including limiting his remarks to the issues in the case and refraining from giving a “campaign speech.”

On Thursday, however, after Kise and other Trump lawyers finished presenting their closing arguments, Kise said Trump wanted to participate.

Engoron asked Trump on the spot to agree to limit his remarks to the evidence and the law, saying, “Do you promise to just comment on the law and the facts … and not go outside of it?”

Trump responded not by agreeing, but by retorting, “Well, I think this case goes outside of the law and the facts,” and proceeded to launch into some of his typical criticisms of the case by calling it a “political witch hunt.”

The lawsuit, brought by New York Attorney General Tish James, accuses Trump of fraudulently inflating the value of his real estate properties. Engoron has already ruled that Trump is liable for fraud, and he is expected to rule soon on James’ request for $370 million in penalties.

“When you say, ‘Don’t go outside of these things,’” Trump told Engoron, “we have a situation where I’m an innocent man. I’ve been persecuted by someone running for office,” he said, referring to James, who briefly ran for governor in 2021.

“This is a fraud on me,” Trump told Engoron. “What’s happened here, sir, is a fraud on me.”

After Engoron warned that Trump was running up against a deadline for a planned break in the proceedings, Trump turned his attention to the judge himself, whom the former president has long criticized publicly, including during his testimony in the trial.

“You have your own agenda, I certainly understand that,” Trump said. “You can’t listen for more than one minute.”

“Mr. Kise, please control your client,” Engoron urged. Moments later, at the time of the scheduled break, Engoron cut off Trump, telling his attorney, “Mr. Kise, this could have been done differently.” (Politico).

One more thing.

New York’s Attorney General, Letitia James, also delivered final remarks. Watch her here.👇

https://x.com/newyorkstateag/status/1745602918558916797?s=61&t=I_Od53CbnPTsbLcD0baXPg
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Who so-called moderate Republicans are.

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Iowa.

Sub-zero temps and snow make turnout a wildcard at Iowa caucuses.

Temperatures aren't expected to crack 0°F in Des Moines during caucus day on Monday, and "life-threatening blizzard conditions" over the weekend could make any final campaign stops all but impossible.

Why it matters: Turnout is always the x-factor in elections, but that's particularly true at the Iowa caucuses. In some rural precincts, as few as 10 people can make a big difference.

"Turnout is absolutely everything for all of the candidates," says Starlyn Perdue, GOP chair for Pottawattamie County, on the western side of the state. "You can't just have one person show up, you want to have multiple people show up and spread the message for that candidate."

Perdue isn't expecting the polar vortex-induced cold snap to have a big impact on turnout locally, telling Axios rural areas like hers are "used to it."

She says volunteers plan on getting to caucus sites early to ensure areas are cleared of snow. She'll be heading out herself in her four-wheel drive pickup truck.

State of play: This isn't any ordinary winter storm, however.

The National Weather Service expects total snowfall leading up to Saturday to rival some of the biggest five-day totals ever recorded for Des Moines.

The high temperature in Des Moines on Monday is forecast to be minus 1°F. On Monday night, temperatures are expected to drop quickly, aided by deep snow cover, plummeting to minus 14°F.

Wind chills throughout the day will be in the dangerous range of the minus 20s°F, if not lower.

Monday and Tuesday are forecast to be the two coldest days of this Arctic outbreak, which comes courtesy of an oscillating polar vortex, combined with other weather features.

What they're saying: Polk County GOP Chair Gloria Mazza still expects a "really decent turnout" in her area, which is home to Des Moines and its metropolitan area.

She recommends people bundle up, but notes that all of the caucus sites are indoor locations like churches and city halls.

Turnout across the state could be impacted, Mazza says. For example, she notes that an older voter in a rural area who may have to drive farther to caucus might feel unmotivated to do so, particularly if their candidate is already far head or isn't expected to win.

Local Democratic political consultant Jeff Link told Axios the frigid temperatures could dampen turnout among Trump supporters who assume he's already ahead.

Former President Trump, Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were all forced to cancel events this week due to the weather.

Haley, who is battling Florida Gov. Ron DeSenatis for a top-two finish in Iowa, joked Thursday that "I don't even know what negative 15 is," adding: "I was complaining that it was cold in Iowa in October." (Axios).

Biden Campaign to Send Top Allies to Iowa to Spread Democrats’ Message.

The Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota are expected to appear on Monday, as Republicans hold their caucuses.

Governor Pritzker with the President.

Iowa is dominated by Republicans right now. The events by presidential candidates are for Republicans, the voters who come to see them are Republicans and the main event, Monday’s caucuses, will feature Republicans.

But Democrats will try to get in on the action on Monday, when President Biden’s campaign is expected to dispatch some of its biggest surrogates to Iowa to make the party’s case in the hours before Republicans gather to vote.

These allies include Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood mogul and a co-chairman of Mr. Biden’s campaign; Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, who is a member of the campaign’s national advisory board; and Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota. They are planning to appear at a news conference in downtown Des Moines on Monday afternoon shortly before the caucuses begin, according to two people familiar with the campaign’s scheduling.

Mr. Katzenberg is a longtime Democratic megadonor who has taken on his largest political role to date with the Biden campaign, serving as a conduit to big donors while assuming a role of publicly calming worries about Mr. Biden’s fund-raising, staffing and political vulnerabilities.

Mr. Pritzker, America’s wealthiest elected official, is organizing this summer’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Ms. Smith, who represents a neighboring state, is in her first full term as senator.

“Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans’ all-out assault on democracy and Americans’ personal freedoms will be front and center as Iowans begin to caucus Monday,” said Ammar Moussa, a Biden campaign spokesman. “The Biden campaign will be on the ground, talking directly to voters and reminding everyone that President Biden is fighting to ensure MAGA Republicans’ extreme, out-of-touch agenda continues to lose at the ballot box.” (New York Times).

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Anna Strasberg Dead: Widow of Lee Strasberg and inheritor of Marilyn Monroe Estate Was 84 – The Hollywood Reporter

Anna Strasberg, an actress and the widow of famed acting coach Lee Strasberg who wound up inheriting the bulk of Marilyn Monroe’s estate, has died. She was 84.

Strasberg died Saturday in New York City of natural causes, a publicist for The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute told The Hollywood Reporter. She co-founded the institute and served as artistic director and “visionary leader” at the home of the Method acting approach.

“Anna ensured that The Institute became a beacon for aspiring actors and remains a cherished space for artistic exploration and growth,” a statement said. “Her lifelong commitment to The Method and unwavering devotion to The Institute have left an indelible mark on the world of acting and the countless talented people she inspired.

“Her presence will be dearly missed, but her legacy lives on through The Method and every class of passionate students.”

Monroe died at age 36 on Aug. 4, 1962, and in her will left 75 percent of her physical property and IP rights to her acting coaches, Actors Studio legend Lee Strasberg and his second wife, Paula, who would die in 1966. Lee married Anna a year later.

With Lee’s death in February 1982, Anna inherited the Monroe estate. She hired CMG Worldwide to represent the late actress, and the licensing agency would generate tens of millions of dollars in revenue and profits from commercial endeavors off Monroe. (Other CMG clients included the estates of Natalie Wood and James Dean.)

In 1999, Anna commissioned Christie’s to auction off Monroe memorabilia, including the flesh-colored gown she wore when she sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in May 1962. The dress fetched more than $1 million among about a thousand items that generated $13.4 million.

CMG’s deal with the Monroe estate ended in 2010, and a year later, Anna reached another licensing deal, this one worth a reported $20 million to $30 million, with Authentic Brands Group. She continued as a minority partner in the joint venture.

Anna Strasberg was born Anna Mizrahi on April 16, 1939, in Caracas, Venezuela. She came to the U.S. in 1960, worked for the United Nations and appeared in the 1965 film Stay Tuned for Terror and on 1966 episodes of Run for Your Life and The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.

She met Lee Strasberg at The Actors Studio, and her other credits includes Riot on Sunset Strip (1967) and installments of The Rat Patrol, The Felony Squad and Judd for the Defense.

Survivors include her sons, David, artistic director and CEO of the Strasberg institute, and Adam; daughters-in-law Lindsey and Nora; grandchildren Gwendolyn, Scarlett, Sawyer, Owen and Asher; sisters Victoria and Elena; nephew Sasha; and a goddaughter, actress Drew Barrymore.

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