Former President Trump clashes with judge during testimony at $250M civil fraud trial: The Morning Rundown, Nov. 7, 2023

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TAKES THE STAND IN HIS CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL

AND — WEWORK — ONCE VALUED AT FORTY SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS — FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TOOK THE STAND ON MONDAY IN HIS 250 MILLION DOLLAR CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL IN NEW YORK — WHERE HE SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO IS SUING HIM, HIS ELDEST SONS AND HIS COMPANY.

TRUMP AND THE JUDGE SPARRED AT TIMES.

TRUMP WAS WARNED ABOUT THE LENGTH AND CONTENT OF HIS ANSWERS ON THE STAND –

THE JUDGE TELLING TRUMP IT WAS NOT A POLITICAL RALLY.

DURING HIS TESTIMONY – TRUMP DISPUTED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S CLAIMS THAT HE LIED ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO BANKS AND INSURERS OR INFLATED THE VALUES OF HIS PROPERTIES TO GET BETTER LOANS AND BUSINESS DEALS.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT DISTANCED HIMSELF FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AT THE HEART OF THE ATTORNEY’S GENERAL CASE– SAYING HE WOULD QUOTE “AUTHORIZE AND TELL PEOPLE TO GIVE WHATEVER IS NECESSARY FOR THE ACCOUNTANTS TO DO THE STATEMENTS” – SAYING ON OCCASION, HE WOULD HAVE “SOME SUGGESTIONS” ABOUT THE RESULTS.

AS FOR THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THEMSELVES – TRUMP ARGUED THAT BANKS “DIDN’T FIND THEM VERY RELEVANT.”

DURING HIS ROUGHLY FOUR HOURS ON THE STAND — TRUMP SUGGESTED HIS NET WORTH IS ACTUALLY MORE THAN WHAT WAS ON THE STATEMENTS – AND THAT THE ATTORNEY’S GENERAL OFFICE UNDERVALUED HIS MAR-A-LAGO FLORIDA RESORT.

IN RESPONSE TO HIS TESTIMONY — ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES SAID THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTS HER FRAUD CLAIMS.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S DAUGHTER IVANKA TRUMP IS SCHEDULED TO TESTIFY ON WEDNESDAY.

DONALD TRUMP, THE CURRENT GOP FRONTRUNNER FOR THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IS SET TO TAKE THE STAND AGAIN IN FOUR CRIMINAL CASES NEXT YEAR –

HE HOWEVER IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE PRESENT AT THE THIRD REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DEBATE WEDNESDAY IN MIAMI.

FIVE CANDIDATES HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THAT DEBATE: FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE, FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY, TECH ENTERPENEUR VIVEK RAMASWAMY AND SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR TIM SCOTT.

TODAY IS ELECTION DAY IN AMERICA — AND WHILE WE ARE JUST UNDER A YEAR AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – VOTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL BE MAKING DECISIONS THAT COULD IMPACT NEXT YEAR’S RACE.

IN OHIO – VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO AMEND THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO PROTECT ACCESS TO ABORTION SERVICES.

THEY WILL ALSO VOTE ON WHETHER TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

IN VIRGINIA – ALL 40 STATE SENATE SEATS AND 100 STATE HOUSE SEATS ARE ON THE BALLOT –

WHICH COULD LEAD TO REPUBLICANS HAVING FULL CONTROL OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE.

THIS WOULD GIVE A PATH FOR REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN TO ENACT HIS PROPOSALS ON ABORTION, EDUCATION AND OTHER POLICIES.

THE MAJOR RACE IN TWO STATES IS FOR GOVERNOR — AS REPUBLICAN TATE REEVES LOOKS FOR A SECOND TERM IN MISSISSIPPI AND DEMOCRAT ANDY BESHEAR SEEKS ANOTHER TERM IN KENTUCKY.

IN TEXAS – 17 CANDIDATES ARE VYING TO BECOME THE NEXT MAYOR OF HOUSTON– AND RESIDENTS OF UVALDE WILL ELECT A NEW MAYOR FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE MAY 20-22 SCHOOL SHOOTING THAT LEFT 19 STUDENTS AND TWO TEACHERS DEAD.

PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS WILL VOTE TO FILL A VACANT SEAT ON THE STATE SUPREME COURT – AND PHILADELPHIANS WILL DECIDE ON A NEW MAYOR.

NEW YORK’S GENERAL ELECTION HAS VOTERS DECIDING ON A VARIETY OF RACES INCLUDING NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL.

AND COLORADO VOTERS WILL DECIDE ON TWO PROPOSALS INVOLVING TAX REVENUE.

THE HAMAS-RUN GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY SAYS MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE ISRAEL LAUNCHED ITS STRIKES ON THE TERRITORY FOLLOWING THE TERROR ATTACKS THAT LEFT MORE 1,400 DEAD.

THE HEALTH MINISTRY SAYS MORE THAN FORTY ONE HUNDRED (4,100) CHILDREN ARE AMONG THE DEAD.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID HE HAD NO CONFIDENCE ON FIGURES PROVIDED BY THE AGENCY RUN BY HAMAS.

PENTAGON SPOKESMAN BRIGADIER  GENERAL PATRICK RYDER DID SAY MONDAY THAT THE NUMBERS ARE IN THE THOUSANDS.”

THE UNITED NATIONS ON MONDAY CALLED ONCE AGAIN FOR AN IMMEDIATE HUMANITARIAN CEASE-FIRE —

WITH THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL SAYING GAZA IS BECOMING A “GRAVEYARD FOR CHILDREN.”

SPEAKING TO ABC NEWS MONDAY, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU REITERATED HIS STANCE THAT THERE WOULD ONLY BE A CEASE-FIRE IF HAMAS RELEASED THE 200-PLUS HOSTAGES TAKEN BY THE MILITANT GROUP.

ON MONDAY — A JURY FOUND COLORADO POLICE OFFICER NATHAN WOODYARD NOT GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER IN THE KILLING OF ELIJAH MCCLAIN —

AN UNARMED TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD BLACK MAN WHO DIED AFTER AN ALTERCATION WITH POLICE IN 20-19.

WOODYARD — WHO HAS BEEN SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY SINCE 20-20 — IS THE LAST OF THREE OFFICERS TO STAND TRIAL FOR THE KILLING OF  MCCLAIN — AFTER HE HAD BEEN RESTRAINED USING A CHOKE HOLD AND INJECTED WITH A SEDATIVE BY PARAMEDICS.

IN OCTOBER — A JURY FOUND OFFICER RANDY ROE-DEMA GUILTY OF CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE AND THIRD-DEGREE ASSAULT — WHILE THAT SAME JURY** DELIVERED A NOT GUILTY VERDICT FOR OFFICER JASON ROSEN-BLATT WHO HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AND ASSAULT.

THOUGH MCCLAIN’S KILLING HAS BROUGHT SWEEPING POLICE REFORMS IN COLORADO —

HIS  DEATH ORIGINALLY DID NOT RECEIVE MUCH ATTENTION —  WITH LOCAL PROSECUTORS ORIGINALLY NOT FILING CHARGES AGAINST THE OFFICERS — THAT CHANGED AFTER MAY OF 2020 — WHEN GEORGE FLOYD WAS KILLED AT THE HANDS OF POLICE.

THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE — GUIDED BY THE GOVERNOR — THEN FILED CHARGES AGAINST THE THREE OFFICERS AS WELL AS TWO PARAMEDICS —

WHO ARE SET TO STAND TRIAL LATER THIS MONTH.

LATE LAST NIGHT —  WE-WORK – THE OFFICE-SHARING COMPANY — ANNOUNCED IT HAS FILED FOR CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY.

THE COMPANY SAYS IT INTENDS TO TRIM “NON-OPERATIONAL” LEASES.

WE-WORK — WHICH IS BACKED BY JAPAN’S SOFT-BANK — WAS ONCE VALUED AT $47 BILLION IN 2019 –

THE SAME YEAR IT ATTEMPTED BUT FAILED TO GO PUBLIC — WHICH LED TO THE OUSTER OF ITS FOUNDER.

AFTER EVENTUALLY GOING PUBLIC TWO YEARS LATER – AT A REDUCED VALUATION OF $9 BILLION – THE COMPANY FACED ROADBLOCKS WITH THE PANDEMIC LEADING TO HYBRID AND WORK-FROM-HOME OPTIONS.

SHARES OF WE-WORK HAVE DROPPED APPROXIMATELY 98 PERCENT THIS YEAR ALONE.

WHILE WE-WORK LEASES MILLIONS OF SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE IN 777 LOCATIONS ACROSS 39 COUNTRIES — THE BANKRUPTCY FILING AFFECTS ONLY WEWORK’S SITES IN THE U.S. AND CANADA.

FINALLY THIS MORNING — WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE LARGEST NEWSPAPER CHAIN IN THE COUNTRY’S SEARCH FOR A TAYLOR SWIFT REPORTER. AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS — GANNETT HAS FOUND ITS MAN.

BRYAN WEST – A 35-YEAR-OLD EMMY-WINNING JOURNALIST FROM ARIZONA – HAS NOW MOVED TO TENNESSEE WHERE HE BEGAN WORKING MONDAY — COVERING ALL THINGS TAYLOR SWIFT.

WHEN THE NEWSPAPER CHAIN – WHICH OWNS USA TODAY — ANNOUNCED THE JOB OPENING IN SEPTEMBER  —  IT WAS MET WITH CRITICISM FROM SOME JOURNALISTS WHO CALLED THE ROLE A FAN POSITION – AND ONE THAT TOOK AWAY JOBS FROM OTHER REPORTERS — AFTER THE COMPANY MADE SIGNIFICANT CUTS LAST YEAR.

GANNETT’S VICE PRESIDENT OF LOCAL NEWS TOLD VARIETY THIS MOVE IS PART OF THE COMPANY’S “TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY” TO BETTER SERVE ALL ITS COMMUNITIES IN THE FUTURE.

WEST SAYS HE’LL HAVE FUN WITH THE ROLE – WHILE ALSO FOCUSING ON TAYLOR SWIFT’S IMPACT ON SOCIETY AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

GANNETT IS STILL SEARCHING FOR A BEYONCE REPORTER.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS TUESDAY.

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UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!