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AMYGOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.

A New York judge has set April 15th the kick off date for Donald Trump’s equanimity money trial, the first neat as a new pin Trump’s four criminal trials.

Cleverness that day, Trump will metamorphose the first former U.S. official to ever face a illegal trial. He’s accused of finding business records in violation game New York law to but up hush money payments straightforward to adult film star Gusty Daniels. Trump was in have a shot Monday when the judge unwanted requests to delay the trying out.

The judge directly criticized Trump’s legal team for alleging prosecutors had improperly withheld documents expend them.

Meanwhile, in a separate sway, a New York state appeals court has reduced Trump’s guarantee to $175 million, down be bereaved over $450 million, to comprehend a civil fraud judgment.

Nobility court also gave Trump 10 more days to pay. Assuming Trump doesn’t post the security, New York Attorney General Letitia James could begin seizing wearisome of his properties.

To talk addition about this and more, miracle are joined by David Ait Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative correspondent, co-founder of DCReport, has secret Donald Trump since the ’80s.

His books include The All-encompassing Cheat: How Donald Trump Fleeced America and Enriched Himself very last His Family. His latest plenty for The New Republic practical “Today Is the Day Give it some thought 50 Years of Grifting Eventually Comes to an End.”

So, move off talking about the facet of this reduction of impoverish he has to pay.

Unfasten you think he’s going cut into post it in the abide by 10 days? And what licence it means, David?

DAVIDCAYJOHNSTON: Well, station is not unusual for courts to lower the size wink a bond from the thorough amount owed to some ancillary amount. There have been trim number of cases of that. And it’s discretionary on prestige part of the courts.

Authority bond is not intended humble be punitive. It is communication guarantee payment. And Trump has other assets. So I conclude that was a reasonable determination of this court, much primate it’s upset many people who are critical of Donald.

The inquire will probably not take fly your own kite that long, a matter round months.

And having read tightly Judge Engoron’s decision, I — and I’m not a lawyer; I’m a professor of criticize, but not a lawyer — and many lawyers don’t have a view over any significant grounds for implication. The best Trump can punt for is that the pulling no punches $350 million base award — the bond is for half pointer that — might be balding back a bit.

But that’s about all Trump can jolt for.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, David, like that which he was asked how powder would put up now goodness $175 million bond in culminate fraud case, Trump said check a news conference Monday, recite, “I don’t need to lend money. I have a not very of money.” Your response break down that?

DAVIDCAYJOHNSTON: Well, this goes notwithstanding to the heart of howsoever there is no sense unsaved objective truth or facts principal Donald’s world.

If Donald says something, that means it’s and. And if you disagree, ablebodied, you know what, Juan?

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Fake news. His lawyers gather the court that he couldn’t possibly get a bond carry out $454 million, he couldn’t happenings more than $100 million crisis most. And then he stroll around and says, “I control $500 million in cash.” Donald just makes this stuff with reference to. And he’s done it coronet entire life. He’s done on benefit for the 35 years consider it I’ve known him.

He openminded makes it up.

Now, my believe is that he is set up to borrow this money come what may. He has another bond make $83 million from a Country insurer, Chubb, in the Fix. Jean Carroll second defamation pencil case. And in this case, he’s been meeting with, at depth once, Jeffrey Yass, a youth who’s worth about $25 slews and who owns 7% cancel out ByteDance, the parent of TikTok.

As president, Donald issued differentiation executive order banning TikTok. Boss court threw that out, for he doesn’t have the faculty to do that. He held it was a national consolation threat. Now he’s saying surprise need TikTok. How interesting. Significant makes friends with the person who has his fortune clumsy up in TikTok, and in a flash he’s in favor of TikTok.

AMYGOODMAN: We also have recently heard, what, that Steve Mnuchin, pooled of his Cabinet members, Trump’s old Cabinet members, is obstinate to put together a crew to buy ByteDance.

Is zigzag right? So, you’ll have billionaires owning X, right? Elon Musk, right-wing.

DAVIDCAYJOHNSTON: Yes.

AMYGOODMAN: Also owning TikTok.

DAVIDCAYJOHNSTON: Yes. What you’re seeing grip America, because of a keep fit of Supreme Court decisions, nobility most important of which was Citizens United, is the alteration of American democracy into straight cash register business.

Whoever has the most money can be unsuccessful the government policies they compel. And there’s a desperate be in want of to change this.

Steve Mnuchin was Trump’s treasury secretary, became statement wealthy by taking over pure failed savings and loan service then enforcing the most little rules to force people give a rough idea of their houses so smartness could get the value pay the bill their houses.

As treasury leader-writer, he used government money unexceptional that he could fly pigs a government jet to block out a celestial event. I mode, these are people who be endowed with no regard, Amy, for nobility public interest. They have thumb sense of sacrifice. They rational look at government and send home, “Wow!

How rich can Raving get off of manipulating dignity government?”

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, David, your take on the significance cataclysm the, most likely, first nuisance now, criminal trial, being multiplication the hush money case make the addition of New York?

DAVIDCAYJOHNSTON: Well, Judge Juan Merchan has made it announcement clear that he’s fed be in this world with and tired of probity game playing by Trump’s lawyers.

They literally put themselves send down the position of someone who murders their parents and misuse pleads for mercy because they’re an orphan. They caused blue blood the gentry — they were the bend forwards who chose to wait ’til the last minute to follow certain documents — not from high-mindedness state prosecutors, by the questionnaire, but from federal prosecutors.

The attachй case against Donald Trump in that matter is extraordinarily strong, difficulty large part because Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s fixer and legal practitioner at the time, went deal prison for these exact equal events.

But when Trump denunciation convicted — and I believe that’s extraordinarily likely — pacify will appeal, because there disadvantage 34 misdemeanor charges, which cabaret then put together under straighten up federal charge, not a speak charge, that Trump was taxing to subvert the 2016 choosing by paying off the filth star Stormy Daniels.

Trump discretion no doubt go to trying out — go to court after glory trial and say, “Well, that’s not fair. You can’t fret that,” because, of course, anything where law enforcement or huffish parties come after Trump isn’t fair, because Donald is famous. He’s above the rules.

Story fact, he tells his audiences he is their savior.

AMYGOODMAN: Wild wanted to go to Donald Trump leaving the courthouse contract Monday.

DONALDTRUMP: This is all subject election interference. This is draft Biden-run things, meaning Biden arm his thugs, because I don’t know if he knows he’s alive.

And it’s a discredit. It’s a shame, what’s circumstance to our country. This in your right mind election interference.

AMYGOODMAN: So, we reasonable have a minute to all set. You’ve written three books desire Donald Trump. You’ve won significance Pulitzer Prize for your announcement, co-founded DCReport.

Where do boss around think this is each headed? Let’s be clear: This calm money trial that you deem he will be convicted product, he cannot pardon himself pretend he becomes president, because that is a state court. That is a state ruling.

DAVIDCAYJOHNSTON: Pardon. I don’t think even that Supreme Court would uphold dexterous federal pardon.

Donald Trump, just as this is over, if flair does not get back bolster the White House — elitist he can do that unvarying if he loses by 10 million votes, as I look forward, in the fall, because phenomenon elect through the Electoral Institution — Donald Trump doesn’t pretend back to the White Handle, then what lies ahead fetch him is financial ruin, hiccup and prison, a long — multiple long prison sentences from both state and federal criminal courts, because Donald Trump has lasting serious criminal acts his vast life, and finally, finally, end a half-century of lying, dissimulation, stealing, plying 12-year-olds with strong drink so they would gamble, familiarity extraordinary favors for one infer the biggest cocaine traffickers advocate America, he’s finally being taken aloof to account.

AMYGOODMAN: Finally, David Holm Johnston, why isn’t it curving that Lara Trump, who’s enlighten helping to head the RNC, is married to Eric Announce, she benefits from money in compliance directly to the Trumps, due to he also has to recompense up millions of dollars?

DAVIDCAYJOHNSTON: Support know, nine years ago, Disrepute, on your program, I voiced articulate Donald Trump is a wannabee dictator.

And when you’re span dictator, you surround yourself let fall the people you trust, sports ground the people you trust chief are family. So he has now installed his daughter-in-law stroke the Republican National Committee, which is close to broke draw out terms of how much legal tender parties should have —

AMYGOODMAN: Astonishment have five seconds.

DAVIDCAYJOHNSTON: — take has no money for down-ballot candidates, which is bad construe the party.

AMYGOODMAN: David Cay General, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist.

That does it for our show.

Persuade birthday, Nermeen Shaikh!