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Trump’s trials: Recent court delays could boost his election chances

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Trump’s trials: Recent court delays could boost his election chances

As he campaigns for a return to the White House, former President Trump faces criminal prosecution in four separate trials. He’s also had two civil trials that resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in fines.

Here’s what’s going on with the cases as primary elections ramp up across the nation, and what to expect in the weeks ahead:

Supreme Court reviewing presidential immunity

By agreeing to take up a question of presidential immunity this week, the Supreme Court dealt a severe blow to special counsel Jack Smith’s plans to prosecute Trump anytime soon for actions related to his attempts to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Originally scheduled to begin this coming Monday, the trial potentially will be delayed until after the 2024 presidential election.

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Judge Tanya Chutkan, the trial judge, rejected Trump’s claim that he was immune from criminal charges brought because of “official acts” taken while in office. She said the Constitution does not give former presidents absolute immunity for their past crimes.

In December, Smith urged the Supreme Court to fast-track consideration of that question so it could be resolved by March. The justices refused and sent the question to the Court of Appeals for the D.C Circuit, which took until early February to rule against Trump. He quickly appealed to the Supreme Court, which on Wednesday announced it will hear arguments on the question during the week of April 22. The high court is expected to wait until the end of June to hand down a written ruling.

The trial is on hold until the question of presidential immunity is resolved and Trump’s attorneys have indicated that they will need several weeks to prepare once the trial is allowed to move forward. They could even raise new objections that could further delay the trial.

On top of the procedural hurdles, the Justice Department has a policy of avoiding new prosecutions that could affect pending elections, and that might stand in the way of a fall trial featuring the expected Republican presidential nominee.

All of that adds up to the possibility that even if Trump eventually loses in court he may have already gained an advantage at the ballot.

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Classified documents

Some of those other potential challenges that could come up in the 2020 election subversion trial will be considered soon in the case over Trump’s handling of classified documents and alleged attempts to prevent the government from recovering them from his Mar-a-Lago estate. He faces 41 felony charges.

On Feb. 23, Trump’s legal team filed multiple motions seeking dismissal of the case, including on a claim of presidential immunity, selective prosecution and contesting the appointment of Smith in the case.

Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the case, on Tuesday denied efforts by Trump’s co-defendants to view the classified records they allegedly moved around the former president’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida for him.

On Thursday, Cannon ruled that Trump’s legal team would not get access to classified filings submitted by the special counsel’s office about the contents of the classified documents seized at Trump’s home by the FBI.

Cannon held a hearing Friday — but took no immediate action — on whether to move the trial date from the end of May to address the dismissal requests and accommodate Trump and his co-conspirator’s desire for more time to build their arguments.

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New York civil fraud suit

Meanwhile in New York on Wednesday, Associate Justice Anil C. Singh in the New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division rejected a request from Trump to accept a $100-million bond or delay enforcement of a fine totaling at least $450 million while he appeals. Trump’s attorneys said he may have to sell off properties as a result.

In mid-February, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron issued the fines after finding Trump and others guilty of giving false information to financial institutions and insurance companies so they could borrow money at lower rates and save on costs.

Along with the fines and interest, Engoron also ruled that Trump and his adult sons were banned from holding top jobs in New York corporations for several years.

Trump’s lawyers have filed a notice that they intend to appeal Engoron’s decision, but to do so Trump must post a bond for the full amount of the judgment.

Engoron’s decision came on the heels of an $83.3-million judgment against Trump for defaming columnist E. Jean Carroll after he was found liable for sexually assaulting her in the 1990s.

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New York hush money case

With the delay caused by the Supreme Court taking on the presidential immunity question, the first felony case Trump is expected to face will be about whether he falsified business records to cover up his lawyer Michael Cohen’s $130,000 payment in the final days of the 2016 campaign to adult film actor Stormy Daniels for her silence about a 2006 sexual encounter she says she had with Trump.

Jury selection is scheduled to start March 25. Last month prosecutors asked Judge Juan Manuel Merchan to bar Trump from making or directing others to make public statements about potential witnesses and jurors, as well as statements meant to interfere with or harass the court’s staff, prosecution team or their families.

Georgia election subversion case

Soon we will know whether Trump and his co-conspirators are successful in their attempts to disqualify Fulton County Dist. Atty. Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade from pursuing charges against them because of their personal relationship.

After a whirlwind seven weeks of hearings full of salacious details, text messages and fiery appeals, Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee heard closing arguments on Friday about whether the relationship warrants disqualifying the entire district attorney’s office from pursuing charges against Trump and his supporters for trying to overthrow the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

This is the only state-level case Trump faces in relation to his efforts to stay in power after losing to Joe Biden.

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Willis has requested an August trial date, but depending on how the timing of the federal trials shift, she could ask for a date in early summer.

Times staff writer David G. Savage contributed to this report.

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Video: Steve Hilton Holds Slim Early Lead in California Governor’s Race

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Video: Steve Hilton Holds Slim Early Lead in California Governor’s Race

new video loaded: Steve Hilton Holds Slim Early Lead in California Governor’s Race

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Steve Hilton Holds Slim Early Lead in California Governor’s Race

Steve Hilton, a Republican and former Fox News host, held a narrow lead in early votes over two Democratic opponents in California’s nonpartisan primary for governor. The top two candidates will advance to the general election in November.

“Change is coming to California, and it’s long overdue. I want to just say something from my heart to every single person who’s voted for me. We’re not — We’re not there yet, but it’s looking good.” [cheers] “Tonight, the people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken. [cheers] Loudly and proudly. [cheers] And while I take nothing for granted, there are lots of ballots left to be counted, it appears that we are on track to advance to November.” [cheers] “It might take some time to figure out where this is going. We’re going to wait until every ballot is counted. We’re going to give democracy a time to work, and we know we finished really strong.” [cheers]

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Steve Hilton, a Republican and former Fox News host, held a narrow lead in early votes over two Democratic opponents in California’s nonpartisan primary for governor. The top two candidates will advance to the general election in November.

By Axel Boada

June 3, 2026

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Spencer Pratt surges to runoff in LA mayor’s race after angry voters send message to Karen Bass

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Spencer Pratt surges to runoff in LA mayor’s race after angry voters send message to Karen Bass

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Reality television personality Spencer Pratt appears on track to clear a key hurdle in Los Angeles’ mayoral race as he seeks to unseat incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in November.

Bass, who has led the city since 2022 amid a turbulent stretch rocked by her response to wildfires, advanced to a runoff after failing to secure a majority of the vote in Tuesday’s primary election. With no candidate surpassing the 50% threshold, the top two finishers will face off in a November runoff.

The anticipated runoff is a symbolic blow to Bass, who was endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., and former Vice President Kamala Harris and has spent decades serving California in a series of elected Democratic offices.

Pratt, a first-time candidate known for the MTV reality show “The Hills,” was running in second place as of Wednesday morning.

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass attends the Women for Bass Phone bank event in the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles on June 1, 2026. (Louise Barnsley/Splash for Fox News Digital)

REALITY TV STAR SPENCER PRATT TESTS LA VOTERS’ APPETITE FOR POLITICAL OUTSIDER

“Obviously, God wanted five more months of me exposing the failures of our mayor,” Pratt gloated to reporters as the returns came in Tuesday evening. 

Pratt has relentlessly hammered Bass on issues that have long plagued the city, including fire recovery, street homelessness and crime. The insurgent candidate holds Bass personally responsible for devastating wildfires that destroyed more than 18,000 structures in the city, including his Pacific Palisades home. 

Pratt’s surge appears to have shut out Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman, a former ally of Bass who challenged the incumbent from the left and was once viewed as a threat to her bid for a second term. Raman is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and has argued for steering the city in a more progressive direction.

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Raman has not yet conceded despite running well behind Bass and Pratt as of Wednesday morning.

Pratt, a registered Republican, faces an uphill battle to defeat Bass in November if he advances to the runoff election.

Less than 20% of voters in the heavily Democratic city identify with the GOP, though Los Angeles’ mayoral contest is officially nonpartisan. 

Media personality and independent candidate Spencer Pratt, left, pictured alongside LA mayor Karen Bass, right. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

KAREN BASS GRILLED OVER BROKEN HOMELESSNESS PROMISE, BLAMES BUREAUCRACY FOR SLOWED PROGRESS

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Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who represents a San Diego-anchored seat, told Fox News Digital that Pratt has won a following in the mayoral contest due to widespread voter discontent with Bass’ leadership.

“He’s catching fire among ardent historic Democrat voters because Karen Bass has been so ineffective,” Issa said in an interview. “And every time she opens her mouth, she’s talking about more of the same to people who have seen their streets, both crime-ridden and in fact … ineffectively managed.” 

Bass, conversely, argues that her leadership is leading Los Angeles in the right direction.

“Los Angeles is at a turning point. After decades of rising homelessness, under-built housing and a shrinking police force, it’s Mayor Karen Bass who finally stepped up to change how City Hall works,” Bass’s website reads.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman appears likely to finish in third place, keeping her out of the November runoff. (Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

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“Homelessness is down, more housing is being built, and the LAPD is hiring new officers,” it also claims.

Fox News Digital’s Leo Briceno contributed reporting.

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Early returns indicate L.A. County voters have doubts about healthcare sales tax measure

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Early returns indicate L.A. County voters have doubts about healthcare sales tax measure

Los Angeles County’s half-cent sales tax to fund healthcare services was trailing Tuesday, with early returns showing a majority of voters rejecting the measure.

The tax — a half-penny of every dollar spent in the county — is meant to prop up local hospitals and clinics that are hemorrhaging funding after recent federal cuts.

The sales tax, which needs a simple majority to pass, would take effect Oct. 1 and last five years. Officials say it would pull in $1 billion annually to help plug the budget holes hitting local hospitals and clinics.

L.A. County health officials anticipate the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Trump last summer, will slash more than $2 billion from the county’s health services budget within the next three years. Due to eligibility changes, the county will no longer be able to get reimbursements for many Californians who have lost Medi-Cal.

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The measure was championed by a coalition of healthcare advocates called Restore Healthcare for Angelenos who warned that mass layoffs and emergency room closures could be imminent if new funding didn’t come fast. The Department of Public Health recently closed seven clinics — a grim sign, supporters said, of service cuts to come.

Voters haven’t rejected a sales tax hike since 2012, when a transportation measure fell just short with 66.1% support. It needed 66.7% to pass.

A majority of county supervisors had supported the new tax proposal, voting 4 to 1 this February to put it on the ballot. But the measure faced significant opposition from local cities, with opponents arguing the sales tax hike would unfairly burden the poorest county residents and encourage people to spend their dollars across the county line.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the board’s lone opponent of the tax, said she was concerned it was a “general” tax, meaning the money wouldn’t be earmarked for healthcare costs. Instead, she argued, politicians would have final say over how the money gets spent.

The supervisors have created a plan for spending the tax money, with the largest chunk of the money meant to cover the costs for patients without insurance. The measure also asked voters to sign off on a nine-member oversight committee.

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The county currently has a base sales tax rate of 9.75%, and cities impose local taxes on top of that.

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