The charges against Trump

From accolades after his handling of 9/11 - Rudy Giuliani's halo has fallen. TT  

 

The charges against Trump  

From celebrated to loathed - but Giuliani does not give up  

 

Rudy Giuliani was one of America's most admired men after his time as prosecutor and mayor of New York. But the time as an adviser to Donald Trump changed the public image of him, says Andrew Kirtzman, who wrote a biography of Giuliani. 

 

- His story is one of the greatest about someone who has risen and fallen in our lifetime, says Kirtzman to Vanity Fair.  

 

Giuliani almost became a living legend in connection with his actions after the terrorist attack on September 11. Many regarded him as a "calm father figure". 

 

But when the indictment against ex-president Donald Trump was released, Giuliani was singled out as one of the ex-president's main criminal aides. Kirtzman does not believe that Giuliani will under any circumstances give up and admit guilt.  

 

- Right now he's throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something will stick. He hopes that he can muddy the waters, but in reality he has found himself in great difficulty.  

 

Tanya Chutkan/Donald Trump. AP  

 

Judge's warning to Trump: Don't threaten witnesses  

 

Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan has urged Donald Trump to be careful about his statements ahead of the trial on influencing the 2020 election results, Reuters reports.  

 

Even "potentially ambiguous statements" that could be perceived as threats to witnesses or attempts to influence the jury can threaten the legal process, according to Chutkan.  

 

- I warn you and your client to be vigilant about your public statements, she told Trump's lawyers during a court hearing on Friday.  

 

However, Chutkan gave Trump permission to share some less sensitive parts of the evidence. This despite protests from the prosecutor's side, who referred to social media posts that they claim could be interpreted as attempts by Trump to intimidate witnesses.

 

Hunter Biden with his father, US President Joe Biden. Andrew Harnik/AP  

 

The suspicions against Hunter Biden  

 

Special investigator allowed to investigate suspicions against Biden's son 

 

US Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed a special investigator to investigate the suspected criminality of President Joe Biden's son, several US media write.  

 

Hunter Biden is suspected of tax evasion after not paying income tax. But the possibilities of reaching an agreement have been made more difficult by the fact that he is also being investigated for a weapons offence.  

 

Now, Attorney General David Weiss, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, has been appointed as a special investigator for all crimes that can be related to Hunter Biden.  

 

According to Garland, it is in the public interest to have a special investigator, as the suspicions concern the president's son and the people must feel secure that the matter is handled in an "independent" manner and with "responsibility".