“The fact that this is being charged in Florida is enormously significant,” said Honig. “Legally, I think it’s the right move by DOJ because they’re going to avoid a messy question about the venue.”
Crab Cakes, Cocktails and Speech: Inside Trump’s $100,000-A-Seat, Post-Arraignment Donor Dinner
Trump hosted the group at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Former President Donald Trump met privately with over two dozen top donors and supporters Tuesday night as he sought support to his cause hours after his arraignment on more than three dozen federal felony charges.
Trump hosted a "candlelight dinner" at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, where supporters had to raise or donate $100,000 for a place. The amount would go toward his 2024 run for the presidency, as per the invitate.
Trump's remarks to the group echoed the speech he made earlier that evening outside the clubhouse, as per CNBC. He talked against the federal indictment charging him with intentionally retaining sensitive documents containing the nation's military secrets.
Trump returned to his golf course after pleading not guilty in a Miami federal courthouse.
Donors munched on crab cakes and burgers among other Trump favorites and guzzled wine and cocktails.
The event reportedly raised more than $2 million, Trump's campaign confirmed to CNBC. The fundraiser was officially set before Trump was indicted on federal charges.
"Voters, donors, and activists are all energized to send President Trump back to the White House," Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, said in a statement.
Donald Trump Will Still Run For President 2024
Donald Trump can continue his campaign for another term in the White House even if the former US president has been indicted for illegally retaining classified documents after leaving office in 2021. It's the first time that some kind of federal charge has been brought against a former president. This indictment is the second criminal case filed against Trump, who is the frontrunner for the Republican Party's nomination in the 2024 presidential election.
Experts say that none of the charges would bar Trump from taking office if he is convicted.
"Nothing stops Trump from running while indicted, or even convicted," Richard Hasen, Los Angeles law professor at the University of California, told CNN.
Trump's Other Indictment
Trump was indicted in March by a Manhattan grand jury on charges related to hush money payments to a former adult film star in 2016.
Wasn't Sensitive Documents Also Found At President Joe Biden's Home?
Yes, and there's a special counsel investigating that, as per CNN. However, in Trump's case, he tried for almost a year to keep them and did not hand over the documents to the Nationa Archives, which owns them after a president leaves office.
What Are The Charges Against Trump?
According to CNN, there are seven counts and one of them is related to a conspiracy allegation. Donald Trump is facing a charge under the Espionage Act, as well as charges of obstruction of justice, destruction or falsification of records, conspiracy, and false statements.
"All conspiracy means is an agreement between two or more people to violate the law, a meeting of the minds," said Elie Honig, a senior CNN legal analyst and former assistant US attorney.
Why Was Trump Charged In Miami and Not Washington DC?
Well, Trump has been living in Florida for more than a year and it is also where the FBI conducted their search of Mar-a-Lago and found boxes containing classified material. Trump also dismissed legal setbacks in New York. His company was convicted of tax evasion and he was also found guilty of sexual abuse and said the New Yorkers are politically against him. This argument doesn't apply in Miami.