Evening Report — Trump feeling 'very good' as trial moves into final stages

A quick recap of the day and what to look forward to tomorrow

View Online  Evening Report Tuesday, May 21 ©  Dave Sanders/The New York Times via AP, Pool Trump optimistic as trial winds down Former President Trump says he's feeling "very good" after his defense team rested Tuesday and his trial advanced to its final stages.   The jury has been dismissed until next week, with closing statements expected Tuesday and jury deliberations likely to begin next Wednesday.   Trump did not take the stand, and his defense called only two witnesses, compared to the 20 that testified for the prosecution. The Hill has the full list of witnesses here.   Now, Trump's attorneys and prosecutors for the Manhattan district attorney's office will meet with Judge Juan Merchan to hash out the specifics of the legal instructions — including analysis on key elements of election law — that will be given to the jury before they decide Trump's fate.   That negotiation is full of legalese, but The Hill's Zach Schonfeld's broad takeaway is: "The parties have each provided the judge with a proposed charge, but they have fierce disagreements, particularly over how campaign finance laws should apply to the case."   It was another spectacle in New York on Tuesday, with Donald Trump Jr. joining other Trump allies, including former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker, Reps. Troy Nels (R-Texas) and Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), among others, to rail against the proceedings.   The Hill's Brett Samuels has the quote from the defendant:   "I feel very good," Trump said. "I think we've had a great case we've put on."     Related coverage: Senate Republicans see Trump verdict as political wild card. Welcome to Evening Report! We're Jonathan Easley and Liz Crisp, catching you up from the afternoon and what's coming tomorrow. Not on the list? Subscribe here. CATCH UP QUICK President Biden will release 1 million barrels of gasoline from reserves in an effort to lower gas prices.  Dozens of Democrats have signed on to a letter urging Justice Samuel Alito to recuse himself from Jan. 6 cases over the flag that flew upside-down at his home.  Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Mo.) is looking to capitalize off her explosive committee hearing blow-out with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.). Her campaign has filed to trademark the phrase "bleach blonde bad built butch body." Former Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.) was elected as the next president of the National Rifle Association, replacing longtime president Wayne LaPierre, who resigned earlier this year. The Hill's Clayton Vickers also has details on the Supreme Court case that could lead to a spike in sales for rapid-fire devices on guns. NEW THIS AFTERNOON © The Hill What to watch for in Tuesday's elections Voters in five states head to the polls tonight.   There are presidential primary elections in Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky and Oregon, and a special election in California to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and finish out his term.   Most of the drama will be down ballot, where the elections could give insight into the 2024 electorate's views on everything from abortion to liberal politics on policing.   The Hill's Julia Mueller has the full rundown here.   Here are a few races to watch:   GEORGIA   Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D), who is prosecuting Trump and other Republicans for interfering in the 2020 election in the state, faces a primary challenge from attorney Christian Wise Smith.   The embattled Willis has seen her prosecution of Trump sidetracked by hearings into her romantic involvement with the special prosecutor she hired on the case, Nathan Wade. Wade stepped aside in March after a judge ruled that one of them had to recuse themselves.   House Republicans, led by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), have been probing the matter. Willis has struck a combative tone, going on MSNBC last night to call Jordan a "clown."   The Hill's Caroline Vakil notes that Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee is also up for reelection.   Also in the Peach State, former Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.) is seeking to oust Justice Andrew Pinson (R-Ga.), an appointee of Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.), on the state Supreme Court.   Barrow is gambling big on abortion politics, making abortion rights the centerpiece of his campaign.   The Hill's Caroline Vakil has more on that race HERE.    OREGON   The progressive Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, who won an election in 2020 amid the social justice protests roiling the country, will face voters amid criticism that his soft-on-crime policies have led to a spike in homicides, drug overdoses and general disorder in Portland.    Schmidt faces a challenge from Nathan Vasquez, a prosecutor in Schmidt's office who is running as an independent and has the backing of police groups.   In the deep blue 3rd District, three Democrats are running to replace retiring Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.). These include former county commissioner Susheela Jayapal, who is the sister of Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), city councilor Eddy Morales, and state Rep. Maxine Dexter.   CALIFORNIA   State Assembly Member Vince Fong (R) is the favorite over county sheriff Mike Boudreaux (R) to win the special election to replace McCarthy.   Fong has the backing of both Trump and McCarthy, and he handily defeated Boudreaux in a March special election.   The winner will finish out the year, and then the two men will square off again in November with a full term at stake.     More campaign news: The GOP's Maryland Senate candidate Larry Hogan launched a new ad in which he says he will codify Roe v. Wade into law so "every woman can make her own choice." TRUMP WORLD © AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana Giuliani pleads not guilty to felonious election interference charges in Arizona Rudy Giuliani pleaded not guilty Tuesday to nine felony charges he's facing for election interference in Arizona surrounding the 2020 election.   Giuliani appeared remotely for the arraignment in a Phoenix courtroom.   Giuliani and 17 others in Trump's orbit, including former Arizona Republican Chair Kelly Ward, are accused of promoting false claims about voter fraud in an effort to reverse Biden's victory in the battleground state.   Some of the defendants, including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Trump adviser Boris Epshteyn, and attorneys Jenna Ellis and John Eastman, signed documents asserting that they were the legitimate electors in a state that they claimed Trump had won.   Giuliana's plea comes after officials in Arizona spent weeks trying to track him down. He was eventually served at his 80th birthday party.   Giuliani's trial is set to begin in October.   The Hill's Jared Gans has all the details here.  Trump campaign distances from 'unified reich' video  The White House unloaded on Trump after he shared a video on his Truth Social account referencing a "unified Reich" if he wins a second term.   "It is abhorrent, sickening, and disgraceful for anyone to promote content associated with Germany's Nazi government under Adolf Hitler. Any antisemitic dog whistling is dangerous and offensive - and profoundly un-American." - White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates   The video, which was not created by the Trump campaign, was taken down Tuesday morning. It was posted to Trump's account while he was in court this morning.   Trump spokesperson Caroline Leavitt said the video was created by a "random account online" and posted by a junior staffer who "clearly did not see the word" Reich was used in it.   The Hill's Brett Samuels writes: "Trump has previously faced criticism for claiming Biden is running a "Gestapo administration," referring to the secret Nazi police force. He was also widely rebuked for saying immigrants entering the U.S. illegally are "poisoning the blood of our country" and for calling his opponents "vermin," language that echoed Hitler."   Related coverage: Trump is indicating an openness to letting states ban or restrict birth control. Trump campaign says it will sue filmmakers behind 'The Apprentice' movie for 'blatantly false assertions.' OP-EDS IN THE HILL "Alito's inverted flag makes a mockery of the Supreme Court's code of ethics," writes Cedric Merlin Powell, the Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs Professor of Law at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law.   "Hamas is just a part of Iran's multi-front war against Israel and the West," writes former national security adviser and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton. ⏲️  COUNTDOWN 36 days until the first presidential debate.   55 days until the Republican National Convention.   90 days until the Democratic National Convention.   168 days until the 2024 general election.   244 days until Inauguration Day 2025. 🗓  COMING NEXT Tuesday Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky and Oregon are holding primary elections. A special election is being held in California to fill former Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) seat. The House will hold votes at 6:30 p.m. President Biden will attend two fundraisers in Boston.   Wednesday Secretary of State Antony Blinken will testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a House appropriations subcommittee. Watch livestream here. Stay Engaged You're all caught up! Stay with TheHill.com for the latest and recommend this newsletter to others: TheHill.com/Evening. See you tomorrow! Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  Sign Up for Other Newsletters 1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 © 1998 - 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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