Contract as well. That way it doesnt seem like i was involved at one point in the text. Bradley calls merchant a friend, something that failed to come across during his testimony did you have i dont know if speculation is lying, but these texts are now being considered as part of the evidence by the judge on whether willis should be disqualified and anderson reading through these text messages, its pretty clear that bradley intended to remain anonymous, but as the leads, he gave merchant didnt pan out. She pivots headed back to him as her best source of information. But as you read there and saw what he said on the stand and what he read or what he texted in stark contrast from each other. Anderson, nick valencia, thanks. The news continues right here on cnn outfront. Next we are following several breaking stories this hour, the Supreme Court agrees to weigh in on whether trump is immune from criminal charges related to january 6, its the heart of trumps defense. Is the dojs case. Now, in trouble. Also breaking right now, trump on the hook for 454 million. The clock is ticking because a new york its just ruled that he cannot get out of putting up the full amount and trump is saying he does not have the money will give all you the details and inside putins decision to use Nuclear Weapons, the Financial Times tonight, obtaining secret russian intelligence documents showing putin could resort to using nukes just to stop aggression. It is just stunning think Report Reporter who broke it will be outfront so lets go good evening. Im Erin Burnett Outfront tonight. The Breaking News, the Supreme Court takes up trumps case. The nations highest court tonight saying, justices will hear trumps argument that he has absolute immunity for crimes he allegedly committed did an office in the onepage order, just one page. Very clear to the point, the court writes that this is the key question that theyll answer, quote, weather and if, so, to what extent does a former president enjoy president ial immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office look, nothing matters more than this case before the Supreme Court. Now, this is a major decision, is onepage is a major decision because the court could have simply said that it would not take up the case and simply let the Lower Court Decision stand. Something that would have been totally standard in a case where three judges had ruled unanimously and very narrowly that trump was not immune. But that is not what the Supreme Court has done tonight. And the bottom line of this ruling that theyre going to hear the case means delay. The Supreme Court will not even hear the case until the end of april that means that the Court Rules Against Trump and the Justice Departments january 6 case against trump goes ahead. It will begin later. It will begin later in everyday matters in the countdown to election day, whether theyre even as a full trial and verdict by election day. The immunity claim. Now before the Supreme Court is at the core and heart of the Justice Departments case against trump because if trump is immune from prosecution for acts committed while he was president , then jack smiths case is over done. And trumps lawyers have argued that he is immune from smiths criminal charges because even if trump had ordered the military to assassinate a political rival, they say, if he did it while he was president , he couldnt be prosecuted of course, the three judges in the scathing rebuke from the lower court rejected trumps argument. But now the Supreme Courts nine justices will have the final say and how the justices decide could have a profound impact on this election. Former Trump White House attorney Ty Cobb Is Standing by first though i want to go to evan perez because hes outfront live in washington. Evan, we just get this one page. Many had expected that the court would just not take this up. Right. And just let that Lower Court Decision stand. Thats not what theyve done what do you know about why . What do you know about how obviously they took their time to make this decision . What do you know . Right in this order, erin, they make clear that theyre not making any judgments on the merits of the case. But what we know from this is the fact that it takes five justices to grant this stay, which is something that they did. And that means that theres five justices who at least are trying to help donald trump or at least agreeing to help by donald trump more time, which is after all, the entire strategy by the trials till after the november election. And so with the fact that the justices took at least three weeks to make this decision, they could have made this decision and issued this public of the nation for this, order anytime in the last three for this case to go to trial weeks, they waited this three weeks and theyve decided that and for a decision to be theyre not going to here oral rendered, it it means that that will not happen anytime soon. Arguments, at least for another now, its not impossible. But what it means is that certainly by the analysis of Joan Biskupic, were looking king at a decision from the Supreme Court, perhaps in june and then if you can get a trial restarted, the calendar is extremely crowded. By the time donald trump becomes presumably the republican nominee. We should also note, erin, that the Supreme Court is also, were still waiting to hear from them on the 14th Amendment Challenge in colorado right the ruling by the colorado Supreme Court. So we widely, everyone expects that donald trump will win that case. So at this point, we should point out also that the Supreme Court had the option. Erin to hear this case if they wanted to take this up when jack smith went to them in december, they decided not to take it up then, but they have now decided that they do want to hear this case. And that mean that putting the beginning timestamp on this of december, that youre now looking at arguments not being made until april and a decision in june pointed to joans analysis that is stunning. Six month delay. If you look at just at the bottom line of it. All right. Evan, thank you very much. As evan gets more, were gonna go to him. I do want to go to ty cobb now, former Trump White House lawyer. Ty. Look, they could have said let the Lower Court Ruling stand. It was unanimous. It was three justices. They took three weeks to say that theyre not going to do that. Theyre actually going to hear this case and decide on the merits. Evan laying out that calendar that they could have made that decision in december. This puts a possible you know, decision in june. Is there any way to see this other than as a win for trump in his delay strategy well, i think its i think its certainly favorable to trump, whether its a win. I mean, trump appealed as soon as he could now, its the issue of would the Supreme Court take it always haunted everybody and, you know, it was they had to balance two things the interest that The Dc Circuit identified and getting that case to trial, and whether the opinion from The Dc Circuit was adequate from the Supreme Courts view on the issues that theyve now asked to be briefed. And i think that i think probably the most important signal they gave us as to why they granted cert is in the, in the question presented that you read, is the phrase, to wha and if so, to what extent does a former president enjoy immunity . Yeah. Exactly. And i think thats where the Dc Court Of Appeals opinion is a little bit light not because of any air that they made, but that they basically concluded rightfully so that the allegations in the indictment were way outside of wherever the line is and they didnt draw a clear line. I think its understandable for Supreme Court for our Supreme Court case of First Impression involving not a but deep foundational principle of the constitution, which is the separation of powers would, would want to take take a shot at trying to draw that line if they can before a former president is tried however, im disappointed, i think would have been possible for them to let that case let that Opinion Stand and we could have gone to trial in advance of the election, which i do think would have been in the interest of the country. But i do think this makes a trial before for the election unlikely. So i guess thats why i wanted to ask you mean it appears to be that thats the bottom line that if youre not going to have Oral Arguments to the week of april 22, Joan Biskupic was saying that that would mean a possibly a verdict in june. I dont i dont know if you agree with that or not, but but your bottom line is that that would mean you would not get even if that happened and they rule that he is not immune, you would not have a verdict before election day thats yeah, thats my well, i mean, so there are some there are some that is an essence my view, but there are some variables there. I mean, there is. So the Justice Department policy that Everybody Talks about the socalled 60 day policy right now, doesnt really fly in this circumstance. So thats, thats, thats limited to issuing indictments and opening investigation. Theres nothing about a trial in an already scheduled case. So its conceivable that the case could be set for trial in september, could be set for trial on october, could be set for trial immediately after the election but i think that i think the likelihood is that its not going to certain certainly in my view, its not going to go to trial before the election. And just to be very clear on this tie it. If they set a date after the election and he wins, he is able to essentially ended that fourth, correct . Thats correct. Yeah. Now, he lived so i mean, he may have to endure the trial. I actually i mean yeah, because you cant you wont have any powers until january 20, so he could he could he may be forced to endure a trial. I still think thats just unlikely. If hes if hes the nominee and well be back up to the Supreme Court on those issues when does when does the imposition of the criminal process becomes too great for president to endure as it only after he takes the office or immediately after hes elected. I think that would i think there are issues related to that though, i think would further delay the trial all right. Ty, thank you very much. I appreciate it. My pleasure. Erin, take care. Thanks for having me. All right good to see you and karen friedman, agnifilo is with me, the former prosecutor who worked with special counsel jack smith and basil smikle chronic strategist. Karen. You hear ty going through the analysis of what this appears to mean that youre not going to how do you even respond to this and what you see from the Supreme Court . I mean, look, jack smith predicted this possibility, which is why he tried to leap frog The Dc Circuit and go straight to the Supreme Court if you recall . Yeah. Yes. Exactly. And he said, okay, this is an important issue and timing matters here because if this doesnt go before the election, it might not ever go if donald trump wins the presidency because he appoints the new Attorney General who could dismiss the case. He will pardon himself and the thousand other he will call patriots who have been prosecuted and convicted for january 6. That includes people like Enrique Good Tarrio and stewart rhodes. And the case will go away and in some ways, the Supreme Court knew that. And yet they sent it to The Dc Circuit, said, no, i want them to opine first. But now what theyre saying is either they disagree or they changed them mind. I just dont understand why we had to go through this if we were going to go here to begin with because this really means no trial before the election. Other than the Manhattan Da Case was has been widely stated that is the least serious of the mall, but now its really the only case that will likely go before the election. Thats alvin bragg and the Hush Money Payment to stormy daniels, karen, just a quick follow here to make a point, we wont ever know right. How the court voted on this. We know they needed a majority to decide to take the case up. But we have no we dont know if they had unanimity. We dont know if it was on i dont want to use the word party lines, but on liberal and conservative lines, were not going to know that right . Thats correct. We we dont know and we wont know but but at least five people on the court, at least five justices want to hear, want to hear this case and the timing though, of this is really makes it so that that case will not go before the election thats thats i think my opinion and many other people who ive spoken to since this came down, literally, i think two hours ago exactly. So basil, have you had time to process that . I mean, does this mean that democrats have to stop hoping on a trial and verdict that could eliminate trump even in the eyes of voters, right . Who have said that a conviction could mean would massively change things up in terms of how they see trump. Does this mean that democrats have to just essentially give that up well it does change the strategy, right . Because i my concern had always been that as these trials continue, that it was going to be difficult for democrats. They help voters weed through the legal ease as we continue to talk about what, what, whats happening in the courts and how close we are to getting some kind of some kind of verdict or answer about how trump if at all, would be held accountable. So this just continues the timeframe where i should say it expands the timeframe in which democrats is still going to have to continue to talk about whats happening, why donald trump is under investigation. By the way of pointing out that all of the folks who heard adam schiff say this earlier, that all of the folks who actually stormed the capitol face justice or, if, or a good amount of them have already faced justice, its the leadership, its the people who are pulling this trains that have yet to face that justice. And i think thats an important point that democrats need to continue to hammer home. And ill just make this quick point. I think i was on this very network, erin, in 2016 when the comey letter dropped i have a very healthy understanding of how Important Information when it comes out close to election can affect the outcome and so thats whats so concerning about this, that as has been said before, we could have had some kind of decision on this a lot earlier. If you are concerned that the Supreme Court is being political, this just gave you additional fuel for that concern. All right. Thank you both very much. I appreciate it. Next, we do have more Breaking News and illinois judge, has just ruled to remove trump from the states ballot that is a Surprise Move in the context of fall of this, we are live with the latest details on that next. Plus today, hunter biden, just wrapping up his testimony behind closed doors, president s son grilled for more than six hours even though republicans admit that their efforts to impeach President Biden are falling apart. 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