All articles tagged with #fifth amendment
A federal judge in Manhattan ruled that the Trump administration’s cancellation of more than 1,400 National Endowment for the Humanities grants was unconstitutional, barred the Department of Government Efficiency from terminating the funding, and found that using AI to classify DEI-related projects amounted to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination under the First and Fifth Amendments.
ActBlue employees invoked the Fifth Amendment at least 146 times in depositions with House committees probing donor fraud on the platform, with several officials and former lawyers declining to answer substantive questions. The interim report faults testimony evasions, cites alleged gaps in fraud-prevention for foreign donations since 2020, and suggests withheld materials and potential misleading statements to Congress. ActBlue denies wrongdoing, while the probe widens, and Texas AG Paxton has sued ActBlue based on the committees’ findings.
Ghislaine Maxwell appeared remotely for a brief, closed-door deposition before the House Oversight Committee and invoked the Fifth Amendment, declining to answer questions about Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking operation. Democrats condemned the silence, while Maxwell’s lawyer said she is prepared to speak if clemency is granted. The session was short, with ongoing expectations that lawmakers will continue reviewing unredacted Epstein files and seek justice for survivors.
Ghislaine Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, refused to answer questions in a closed-door House Oversight Committee deposition, invoking the Fifth Amendment as lawmakers pursued details about Epstein’s crimes, potential co-conspirators, and any possible clemency from Trump.
Annie Tomasini, a Biden aide, invoked the Fifth Amendment during a House panel investigation into President Biden's mental fitness and use of a presidential autopen, becoming the third official to do so, amid ongoing inquiries and criticism from committee members.
A growing number of top aides in President Biden's administration are invoking the Fifth Amendment amid a broad investigation involving subpoenas and legal threats, highlighting the legal challenges faced by the White House officials.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor, President Biden’s former White House physician, refused to answer questions in a House Republican investigation into Biden’s health, citing his Fifth Amendment rights, amid claims about Biden’s mental fitness and the use of the White House autopen. The investigation aims to scrutinize Biden’s health and decision-making while in office, but critics dismiss it as a partisan effort.
Jeffrey Clark, a lawyer whom Trump wanted to lead the Justice Department, repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right during a disbarment hearing related to his involvement in attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Clark faces criminal charges in Georgia and is also an unindicted co-conspirator in a federal election interference case against Trump. Former acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen testified that Clark was seeking to investigate election conspiracy theories "nowhere in his lane," and that his lack of experience was highlighted during a standoff in the Oval Office.
A D.C. appeals court panel ruled that the attempt by D.C. bar authorities to subpoena documents from former Justice Department attorney Jeff Clark, potentially leading to his disbarment, would violate his Fifth Amendment rights. Clark is facing criminal charges in Georgia for his involvement in Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The court panel agreed that the subpoena would force Clark to effectively testify against his will, violating his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. This ruling is the latest setback for bar authorities attempting to discipline Clark for his role in Trump's schemes.
The House Ethics Committee has subpoenaed Rep. Matt Gaetz's ex-girlfriend, a key witness in the federal investigation into the Florida lawmaker, who is expected to plead the Fifth Amendment during her testimony later this month. She has been linked to Gaetz since 2017, a time when he is accused of having sexual contact with a 17-year-old. The ex-girlfriend was granted immunity in the federal probe and testified before a grand jury in January 2022, but no charges were brought against Gaetz, who has denied any wrongdoing.
Former President Donald Trump faces a "Hobson's choice" in his civil fraud trial in New York, where he could either answer questions and risk perjury or plead the Fifth Amendment and face negative implications. Trump's meandering testimony and potential inconsistencies could get him into serious trouble if he takes the stand, while his silence could be interpreted unfavorably under New York state law. Prosecutors may ask Trump about criminal cases against him to establish his credibility as a known liar, and he may strategically choose to plead the Fifth in response.
Conservative attorney George Conway advises Donald Trump to reconsider pleading the Fifth Amendment in his civil fraud trial, as it may make him appear guilty to the judge or jury. Conway explains that while defendants in criminal cases can refuse to testify against themselves without guilt being inferred, in civil cases, the defendant's silence can lead to adverse findings. Conway also suggests that Trump may be concerned about his children and business associates testifying and potentially admitting wrongdoing. Additionally, Conway highlights the potential impact of the trial on Trump's business empire, including the possibility of having to sell off assets like Mar-a-Lago if a previous ban on conducting business in New York is upheld.
In the election lawsuit challenging the results of Bridgeport's Democratic mayoral primary, key witnesses Wanda Geter-Pataky and Eneida Martinez invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and refused to answer questions about their alleged involvement in mishandling absentee ballots. Video evidence was presented showing Geter-Pataky and Martinez handling ballots and escorting people to drop boxes. The lawsuit aims to overturn the primary results, and the footage may also be part of ongoing investigations by the State Elections Enforcement Commission. Additionally, Maurice Nelson, Bridgeport's absentee ballots moderator, testified that many envelopes lacked the town clerk's signature, potentially violating state election laws.
Former Trump prosecutor Mark Pomerantz invoked his Fifth Amendment rights during his deposition before the House Judiciary Committee on Friday, slamming the GOP-led panel’s investigation as “political theater” in his opening statement. Pomerantz, who investigated Trump at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, said he was appearing before the committee “as required” because “I respect the rule of law,” before issuing a sharp rebuke of the panel’s probe and disclosing his intent to plead the Fifth.
Former prosecutor Mark F. Pomerantz appeared before the House Judiciary Committee for a deposition but declined to answer many of its questions about the prosecution of former President Donald Trump on charges of falsifying business records, citing privilege and the confidentiality of the pending case. Pomerantz repeatedly cited New York law protecting the privacy of active investigations and said he had been threatened with possible prosecution for violating the secrecy of the grand jury process if he answered certain questions.