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U.S. NEWS Friday 9 September 2022
Bannon pleads not guilty in 'We Build the Wall' scheme

By MICHAEL R. SISAK ing to busloads of migrants
Associated Press sent to the city from Texas
NEW YORK (AP) — Former while prosecutors "are per-
President Donald Trump's secuting people here, that
longtime ally Steve Bannon try to stop them at the bor-
pleaded not guilty Thurs- der."
day to duping donors who Earlier, Bannon accused
gave money to build a wall Bragg of pursuing "phony
on the U.S. southern border charges" against him, say-
— a state-level reboot of a ing the Democratic prose-
federal case that ended cutor targeted him ahead
with a presidential pardon of November's midterm
last year. elections because he and
Bannon, 68, was released his radio show are popular
without bail after his ar- among Trump's Republican
raignment on charges in- supporters.
cluding money launder- Bannon, in a statement
ing, conspiracy and fraud Tuesday, said federal pros-
related to the "We Build ecutors "did the exact
the Wall" campaign. He same thing in August 2020
is the second person par- to try to take me out of the
doned by Trump and later election," referring to his ar-
charged by the Manhattan Former White House strategist Steve Bannon arrives at the Manhattan district attorney's office to rest months before Trump's
district attorney's office for surrender himself to New York authorities, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in New York. reelection loss. "This is noth-
the same alleged conduct. Associated Press ing more than a partisan
Manhattan prosecutors say political weaponization of
that while Bannon prom- Manhattan District Attorney federal prosecution that Kurson, a friend of Trump's the criminal justice system."
ised all donations would Alvin Bragg said that after ended abruptly, before tri- son-in-law Jared Kushner, But New York Attorney
go to building the wall, he Bannon was pardoned, al, when Trump pardoned with cyberstalking months General Letitia James,
was involved in transferring Manhattan prosecutors Bannon on his last day in of- after Trump pardoned him whose office worked with
hundreds of thousands of decided they had to hold fice. Manhattan prosecu- in a similar federal case. Manhattan prosecutors on
dollars to third-party enti- him accountable because tors also charged WeBuild- Like Bannon, Kurson was the case, said it was about
ties and used them to fun- the alleged scheme ripped TheWall, Inc., the nonprofit pardoned early in his fed- holding "powerful political
nel payments to two other off hundreds of Manhattan entity that Bannon and eral case, before acquit- interests" to account.
people involved in the residents. his former co-defendants tal or conviction, negating "They think they are above
scheme. "The simple truth is: It is a used to solicit donations. any double jeopardy argu- the law. And the most
The indictment didn't iden- crime to profit off the backs The company pleaded not ment. egregious of them take
tify those people by name, of donors by making false guilty Thursday. Arriving at the Manhattan advantage of hardworking
but the details match those pretenses," Bragg said at a Presidential pardons apply district attorney's office Americans in the process.
of Brian Kolfage and An- news conference. only to federal crimes, not shortly after 9 a.m. Thurs- Steve Bannon stands out
drew Badolato, who plead- Bannon's New York charges state offenses. Last year, day, Bannon said it was "an as a perfect example of
ed guilty to federal charges stem from the same alleged the Manhattan district at- irony" that New York City's this blatant inequality," said
in April. conduct as an attempted torney's office charged Ken mayor has been object- James, a Democrat.q

Trump documents probe: U.S. is appealing special master ruling

By ERIC TUCKER ies of the judge's order had That order has the likely im-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The led the intelligence com- pact of slowing the pace
Justice Department said munity to temporarily halt of the investigation into
Thursday that it was ap- a damage assessment of the presence of classified
pealing a judge's decision the classified records taken documents at the Florida
granting the appointment from Mar-a-Lago. property.
of an independent arbiter "Moreover, the govern- The Justice Department,
to review records seized by ment and the public are which had strenuously op-
the FBI from former Presi- irreparably injured when posed such an appoint-
dent Donald Trump's Flori- a criminal investigation of ment, filed a notice of ap-
da home. matters involving risks to na- peal Thursday, saying it was
The department also asked tional security is enjoined," contesting the ruling to the
U.S. District Judge Aileen the Justice Department Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Cir-
Cannon to put on hold her motion stated. cuit Court of Appeals.
directive prohibiting it from U.S. District Judge Ai- Cannon, a Trump appoin- President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate is seen in Palm
using the seized records leen Cannon on Monday tee, said the yet-to-be- Beach, Fla., April 18, 2018.
for investigative purposes granted the Trump team's named special master will Associated Press
while it contests her ruling request for a so-called be responsible for review-
to a federal appeals court. special master and tempo- ing the records from Mar-a- been investigating what it else will face charges.
Law enforcement officials rarily blocked the Justice Lago and segregating out says was the unlawful re- The two sides were direct-
said they would suffer "ir- Department from using for those that are potentially tention of national defense ed to submit proposed
reparable harm" if Can- investigative purposes the protected by attorney-cli- information at Mar-a-Lago names of a special master
non's directive remained in thousands of records taken ent privilege or executive as well as efforts to obstruct by Friday. That role is often
place, noting that uncer- from Mar-a-Lago during privilege. the probe. It is not clear filled by a lawyer or former
tainty about the boundar- the Aug. 8 search. The Justice Department has whether Trump or anyone judge.q