Lets start on the big day of the legal front. We are gearing up of the first trial coming out of Robert Muellers expansive investigation. The man who used to run Trumps Campaign is in the north virginia courtroom for Pretrial Hearing today. Theyre just going into recess now. Paul manaforts lawyer is trying to convince the judge to delay his trial on the slew of financial charges and also to keep jurors from hearing details from his ukraine business. That trial is set to begin on wednesday. There are 18 total charges against manafort for alleged financial crimes, five counts of false tax returns and four of failing to report Foreign Bank Accounts and nine bank frauds. If convicted, it could mean decades of prisons and millions of dollars in fines. Our justice correspondent, pete williams, is following the hearing from court. Jeff bennett is at the white house for us. Pete, lets start there, where can you tell us where things stand . Reporter it started about an hour and a half and it wi
With mexico. The president writing on twitter, quote, we will be forced to close the southern border entirely if the obstructionist democrats do not give us the money to finish the wall and also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our country is saddled with. Hard to believe there was a congress and president who would approve. In a string of additional tweets, trump doubled down on the threat saying, quote, i would consider closing the southern border a profitmaking operation. In a separate tweet the president issued a warning that, quote, a new caravan is forming. Trumps incoming chief of staff, acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, telling reporters the president is serious about that threat to shut down the border. Is the president seriously willing to do that . Yeah, he absolutely is. All options are on the table. Listen, its the only way we can get the democrats attention. Mulvaney said the white house is in the fight for the long haul it would appear. So are the democrat
Twitter, we will be forced to close the southern border entirely if the obstructionist democrats do not give us the money to finish the wall and also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our country is saddled with. Hard to believe there was a congress and president who would approve. In a string of additional tweets, trump doubled down on the threat saying, i would consider closing the southern border a profitmaking operation. In a separate tweet the president issued a warning that a new caravan is forming. Trumps incoming chief of staff, acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, telling reporters the president is serious about that threat to shut down the border. Is the president seriously willing to do that . Yeah, he absolutely is. All options are on the table. Listen, its the only way we can get the democrats attention. Mulvaney said the white house is in the fight for the long haul. It would appear so are the democrats. In a statement, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosis off
Star Jussie Smollett. And they are not happy. You all know where i stand on this. Do i think justice was served . No. Where do i think justice is . I think this city is still owed an apology. Ive heard they wanted their day in court with tv cameras so america could know the truth. They chose to hide behind secrecy and broker a deal to circumvent the judicial system. Smollett was arrested last month when police said he reported a fake hate crime attack and orchestrated that attack for attention. Now the actors Attorney Says he was a victim and that false and inappropriate remarks made to the public caused an inappropriate rush to judgment. Smollett spoke to reporters earlier today. I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one. I would not be my mothers son if i was capable of one drop of what i have been accused of. Joining me, nbc news investigations reporter Andrew Blankstein and former assistant u. S. Attorney for the Southern District of new york and msnbc
To shut down the southern border with mexico. The president writing on twitter, quote, we will be forced to close the southern border entirely if the obstructionist democrats do not give us the money to finish the wall and also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our country is saddled with. Hard to believe there was a congress and president who would approve. In a string of additional tweets, trump doubled down on the threat saying, quote, i would consider closing the southern border a profitmaking operation. In a separate tweet the president issued a warning that, quote, a new caravan is forming. Trumps incoming chief of staff, acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, telling reporters the president is serious about that threat to shut down the border. Is the president seriously willing to do that . Yeah, he absolutely is. All options are on the table. Listen, its the only way we can get the democrats attention. Mulvaney said the white house is in the fight for the long haul it