The “Big Three” morning newscasts (ABC, CBS, NBC) on Monday, weighed in on former President Donald Trump’s upcoming pre-sentencing probation hearing. The former president was scheduled to meet virtually with his probation officer from his Mar-a-Lago estate and liberal media couldn’t hide their excitement; speculating prison time.
On NBC’s Today, Laura Jarrett, NBC’s senior legal correspondent and daughter of former Obama advisor Valerie Jarett, hinted that the virtual hearing could be seen as special treatment for Trump since it was “highly unusual.”
She did admit that it would be better for Trump to meet his probation officer virtually rather than in person because his presence has been “disruptive” in New York.
Co-host Savanah Guthrie asked about the possible sentence recommendation Trump may receive on Monday from the probation officer. Jarrett responded: “We've talked about given his age and no other criminal history, no other convictions he's likely to get probation in this case but there's a lot of debate among a lot of legal voices about whether jail times on the table of course.”
But Guthrie wanted to speak for the many individuals who believe Judge Merchan will sentence Trump to prison time because “he violated gag order, you know, ten times during the trial.” Jarrett argued that in comparison to those who have previously been convicted of this exact crime “only one in like the past five years has gone to prison when this is the highest level crime they’ve committed.”
On ABC’s Good Morning America, Rachel Scott said Trump was now facing the “stark reality of now having to campaign as a convicted felon.” Since his conviction, the former president held his first campaign rally in Las Vegas on Sunday. A clip was played from the rally of Trump as he declared that he got “indicted again and again and again.”
Scotts summary of the rally was a different take. “Once again bashing the four criminal cases against him and escalating his verbal attacks on prosecutors” she stated.
On CBS Mornings, Tony Dokoupil quipped that it was arguable that Trump's New York probation officer “a lucky or unlucky” individual. In regards to the probation officer, chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa observed “they will just be doing their job.”
Click "Expand" to view the transcripts:
ABC Good Morning America
6/10/2024
7:07:20 - 7:08:21 PM
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re getting the latest now on Donald Trump.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: TRUMP TO UNDERGO PROBATION INTERVIEW]
The former president set to meet virtually with a probation officer for sentencing interview after holding his first major campaign rally over the weekend since his criminal conviction. Rachel Scott has the story. Good morning, Rachel.
RACHEL SCOTT: Hey George, good morning to you. And Donald Trump did not talk much about that guilty verdict at all, but he is faced with the stark reality of now having to campaign as a convicted felon. The former president wrapping up a rally here in Las Vegas this morning preparing for his probation interview.
This morning Donald Trump fresh off holding his first campaign rally since his conviction now preparing to meet virtually with probation officers from his Mar-a-Lago estate.
DONALD TRUMP: I got indicted again and again and again. I was never indicted. It appeared as little tiny period of time I was like a -- I was like a ping pong ball.
[END CLIP]
SCOTT: Over the weekend the former president rallying supporters in Las Vegas. Once again bashing the four criminal cases against him and escalating his verbal attacks on prosecutors -- using profanity to lash out at Special Counsel Jack Smith.
(…)
7:10:18 - 7:10:36 PM
[Cuts back to live]
SCOTT: Back to that probation interview, we are told that the former president will sit for that virtually from his Mar-a-Lago estate. All of that will be included in a report that will be submitted to Judge Juan Merchan as he considers what the former president should be sentenced with on July 11. Michael?
MICHAEL STRAHAN: Yeah, we’ll all be looking for that Rachel. Thank you so much.
CBS Mornings
6/10/2-24
7:08:12 - 7:08:43
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: PRESIDENTIAL RACE TOO CLOSE TO CALL]
TONY DOKOUPIL: Also notable, Bob, CBS news has confirmed that Donald Trump is scheduled for a presentencing interview with a lucky or unlucky New York probation officer today after his hush-money trial conviction last month. What do you know about that?
ROBERT COSTA (CBS CHIEF ELECTION AND CAMPAIGN CORRESPONDENT): They will just be doing their job. It's a routine measure coming after a conviction. It will take place today virtually. Trump will be in Florida with his lawyer, Todd Blanche. And after this meeting, Judge Juan Merchan will start to think through the sentencing for Trump which will take place on July 11th.
DOKOUPIL: All right, Bob. Thank you very much.
NBC Today
6/10/2024
7:10:46 - 7:12:30
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Now to the former president’s legal troubles as he awaits sentencing for his conviction in his hush money case in New York. He’s scheduled to meet virtually today with his probation officer.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: TRUMP PROBATION INTERVIEW TODAY]
Let's bring in NBC’s Senior Legal Correspondent Laura Jarrett. Laura, good morning --
LAURA JARRETT (NBC SENIOR LEGAL CORRESPONDENT): Hi.
GUTHRIE -- this is typical in any criminal case and yet this case is so atypical. Tell us what we expect today.
JARRETT: Yes, anything but typical to have the former president obviously facing this. He's going to be asked a series of questions by a probation officer, a female probation officer that we've learned, he's going to have his attorney by his side, it's being done virtually. That's highly unusual but it would also be highly unusual to haul him up to the probation office and obviously it's been so disruptive to have his presence down there for court so they're trying to avoid that so he's gonna to do it from Mar-a-Lago virtually asked a series of questions.
Things like tell me what led up to the crime, tell me about your finances -- all of these types of questions just, again, sort of unprecedented in the situation like this. The judge does not have to take the probations department's recommendation, but he can use it as one of any number of factors.
GUTHRIE: Does the probation department recommend a particular sentence?
JARRETT: Yes, they're going to actually recommend anywhere from probation up to four years in prison. That's what he's facing although, again, we've talked about given his age and no other criminal history, no other convictions he's likely to get probation in this case but there's a lot of debate among a lot of legal voices about whether jail times on the table of course.
GUTHRIE: Because some people think that Judge Merchan may well do so because this the underlying issues in this case in terms of election interference, the fact that he violated gag order, you know, ten times during the trial.
JARRETT: Well and if you look at past practices and that’s what the judge is going to look at- past cases of people who have been convicted of this crime, only one in like the past five years has gone to prison when this is the highest level crime they’ve committed.
