Below is my column in the New York Post on the first day of the examination of Michael Cohen. He is expected to start his cross examination today. How bad will it be? After lying to Congress, courts, banks, and most everyone else, it will be bad. Years ago, Cohen threatened a journalist and told him “what I’m going to do to you is going to be f—ing disgusting.” Well, that bad. On cross examination, Cohen faces a reckoning of biblical proportions.
Michael Cohen apparently wants a reality show but, if his testimony Monday is any indication, reality is about to sink in for not just Cohen but the prosecutors and the court.
In stoking interest in his own appearance, the former Trump counsel promised the public that they should be “prepared to be surprised.”
Thus far, however, Cohen has offered nothing new and, more importantly, nothing to make the case for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Just before he took the stand, the New York Post revealed that Cohen has been peddling a reality show called “The Fixer,” including working with Colin Whelan, who helped create “Joe Exotic: Tigers, Lies and Cover-Up.” Whelan appears interested to stay within that genre.
The Cohen pitch came with a cheesy promo video where he promised viewers, “I am your fixer.”
His first post-Trump client, Bragg, may have to disagree.
Cohen had only one advantage for Bragg: His notoriously flexible morals and ethics, which allows him to say most anything to support his sponsors.
With the prosecution’s case almost over, Bragg needed Cohen to clearly state that Trump intentionally committed fraud to conceal some still poorly defined crime.
The problem is that Cohen only confirmed that Trump knew he was going to pay for the nondisclosure agreement and that it would be buried before the election. None of that is unlawful.
On his reality show promo, Cohen tells viewers that he is now there to fix their problems because “the little guy doesn’t usually have access to people with my particular set of skills.”
Those skills seem to have escaped all of the witnesses who were compelled to work with him.
Witnesses detailed how Cohen was ridiculed as someone “prone to exaggeration” and unprofessional.
Former Trump associate Hope Hicks said that Cohen was constantly trying to insinuate himself into the campaign and that he “used to like to call himself Mister Fix It, but it was only because he first broke it.”
Cohen only succeeded in confirming that he put together this payment and advised Trump to go forward with it.
He assured him that it would effectively kill the story before the election.
None of that is illegal. The “Fix it man” assured Trump that he fixed it and now wants Trump to go to jail for following that advice.
In the course of that representation, Cohen also admitted to taping his client without his knowledge, a breathtaking breach of trust and confidentiality.
This is the man who, according to Stormy Daniels’ attorney, Keith Davidson, expected to be Trump’s Attorney General.
Davidson said that Cohen was “depressed and despondent” and “I thought he was going to kill himself” when he realized that he would not be made a cabinet member.
Cohen contradicted Davidson and insisted that he only wanted to be Trump’s personal lawyer.
He also admitted that he was unaware that the publisher of National Enquirer, David Pecker, had long killed negative stories about Trump and other celebrities for decades.
Cohen has yet to fix the problem for Bragg.
More importantly, he has added to the problem for Judge Juan Merchan. Many of us have ridiculed this case as devoid of any criminal act.
Indeed, Merchan has allowed the prosecutors to proceed without clearly stating what crime was being concealed.
It is not even clear why paying one’s lawyer a lump sum for his services and costs (including the NDA payment) was not a “legal expense” or how it was supposed to be entered on a business ledger.
Absent a sudden epiphany in his final testimony on Tuesday, Merchan should rule in favor of a directed verdict — that is, throwing the case out before it goes to a jury. If he instead sends this farcical case to the jury, it is Merchan, not Cohen, who may have a better claim to a reality show as the ultimate “Fixer.”
Jonathan Turley is an attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School.
Professor Turley,
You write: “With the prosecution’s case almost over, Bragg needed Cohen to clearly state that Trump intentionally committed fraud to conceal some still poorly defined crime.”
However, this is not true. In fact, Bragg set out four potential object offenses: violations of federal campaign finance law under the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA); violations of New York Election Law § 17-152; violations of federal, local, and state tax law; and additional falsifications of business records outside the Trump Organization (§ 175.05). Merchan allowed Bragg to move forward with the first three theories but tossed out the last one. He did, however, write that the § 175.05 theory appears to be “intertwined” with and “advances the other three theories discussed.”
17-152 is viewed as the “primary” object offense by Joshua Steinglass. This charge requires a conspiracy to be carried out by “unlawful means.” What are the unlawful means that Bragg is alleging? The legal theory loops back around to point to the other three potential object offenses: FECA violations, tax fraud, and AMI’s and Cohen’s misdemeanor falsifications of business records under 175.10.
Yet, you tersely noted in a previous article: “So they are arguing that Trump committed a crime by conspiring to unlawfully promote his own candidacy. He did this by paying to quash a potentially embarrassing story and then reimbursing his lawyer with other legal expenses.”
This shows you either have not read Bragg’s filings or have intentionally misled your readers by omitting basic facts of Bragg’s argument. The quashing of the story is NOT the unlawful action. It is how it was documented (i.e., FECA) and the tax issues associated with how it was documented.
Finally, it is not necessary for Bragg to prove that Trump committed all of the elements of any of these potential object offenses. Rather, under NY law, only the intent element is a prerequisite. See Peoplve v. McCumisky: https://casetext.com/case/people-v-mccumiskey
If this were an actual legal blog, these topics would be discussed, rather than tabloid articles that gloss over details in favor of bombastic, partisan hyperbole.
I was just wondering: Does anyone know when Obama, Biden, Colangelo, and Big Al are going to bring a valid criminal case with actual charges?
There has been absolutely no testimoney todate about any violations of tax laws.
That should not be surprising – there can’t be.
Cohen was paid. He was 1099’d. Any tax problems are his.
So we can entirely shoot that down.
But that is also significant.
Long long ago the Supreme court has ruled that all crimes of “falsification” are really crimes of Fraud – normally the statute is written that way.
This is important. You can not criminalize mere falseness.
Durham was unable to convict Danchenko and Sussman – both of whom admitted lying to the FBI,
Because the FBI KNEW they were lying.
All of Muellers 18 US 1001 cases should have been dismissed because crimes of falsifaction REQUIRE some actual harm to some party you owe a duty to.
A false statement is not enough. There are several required elements,
allegedly false is not enough.
The tax claims – if they had any substance would be quite powerful.
Misrepresenting records for the purpose of evading taxes is a CLEAR crime.
But we do not have that here.
Further if “you only had a brain” you would grasp that allegedly false is not enough.
False statements under oath are not perjury.
The statement must be knowingly false.
It must mislead the court,
It must be material to the case.
Those are the requirements for all crimes of falsification.
And none other than Ruth Bader Ginsberg has noted that in oppinions.
But worse still – you do not even have a false statement.
Paying a lawyer is legal fees.
Paying a lawyer for a settlement is legal fees.
Paying a lawyer for an NDA is legal fees.
As someone else noted – based on Daniels testimony, Cohen’s testimony, and that of many other witnesses,
Daniels initiated the demand for payment, she went through her lawyers,
This was a legal negotiation – a contract, and exchange of something one party valued for something the other party valued.
Daniels threatened to walk out.
As that other lawyer noted – this is all a legal negotiation or it is criminal extortion. Take your pick.
Stormy had the right to sell her story. She could sell it to anyone she pleased.
She tried several places. Trump made the best offer.
It was legal for Stormey to sell her story.
It was therefore legal for Trump to buy it.
It does not matter why Stormey wanted to sell.
It does not matter why Trump wanted to buy.
It does not matter if the story was true.
A legal act does not become illegal because you do not like the reasons that people did it.
A legal act does not become illegal because it is done in secret.
What is really disturbing is that people have to explain such BASIC Fundimentals. leftsics of the constitution and having to address things so basic as the social contract – what is the legitimate role of government.
The rule of law does NOT allow you to make anything you wish into a crime.
Nor does it allow you to take any statutory legitimate crime and read it so broadly as to make confduct that is clearly does no harm into a crime.
Mike Johnson Shows Up At Trump Trial Along With Other Notables
Former top House Republican Liz Cheney (Wyo.), who broke with her party over Donald Trump, weighed in on House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) attendance at Donald Trump’s trial: “Have to admit I’m surprised that @SpeakerJohnson wants to be in the ‘I cheated on my wife with a porn star’ club,” Cheney posted on X. (Trump has denied having sex with Stormy Daniels, the adult-film actress as the center of the case).
From today’s live updates – The Washington Post
…………………………………………..
Johnson addressed the media at a park across from the courthouse. There he chided the New York DA’s office for putting Trump on trial.
Johnson seems to think southern congressmen know Trump better than New Yorkers. As though New Yorkers are inappropriate jurors for trials concerning fellow New Yorkers!
As Liz Cheney points out, it’s odd that a southern evangelical, like Johnson, would want any part of a trial involving a philandering husband and his affairs with a porno star and Playboy model. But perhaps Johnson is a ‘new age evangelical’ okay with hanky-panky.
“Daddy, Daddy, I want to be President!”
“You PROMISED, Daddy!”
“WAAAAAAAAAA!!!”
– Liz “All Hail Halliburton, We Don’t Need No Stinking WMD” Cheney (RINO-Wyo.)
Interesting how the Trump ‘gag order’ got reinforced ‘just like that’ today, the first day of Cohen impeachment.
Did not know that the justlawfulblog nom de screen would direct reader to a blog post about the gag order determination. It does.
Good, the more bad decisions from various courts the better.
Blanche is struggling to impeach Cohen. He keeps going around in circles and into dead ends. This is not turning out to be what Turley so loudly predicted. Trump lawyer Blanche is not succeeding.
Does it matter ? Cohen was impeached before he came to court.
Yes, it matters. Because the failure to impeach Cohen bolsters the corroboration of the evidence against Trump in the jury’s eyes.
Do you really think there is not going to be a jury instruction that Micheal Cohen is a multiply convicted perjurer ?
If there is not – Merchan has committed reversible error.
You also still do not understand – despite the fact that those of you on the left dliberately structred this that way – there is only one jury that matters – Voters.
The purpose of this prosecution is to defeat Trump in the election. The real jury is the voters – and Cohen has absolutely been impeached with them.
If Trump is convicted – which despite the absence of an actual crime here is likely, it is not the conviction that will matter, it is the effect of the conviction on voters. Trump will appeal, the appeal will take years. Even Merchan is not going to be so stupid as to try to jail trump while appeal is pending. With certainty if Trump loses -= this case will eventually be tossed.
So the entire purpose of the case is election interferance – and super majorities of people see that.
When you conduct a star chamber political show trial – the jury that matters is the people as a whole – not the petit jury.
It looks like Trump’s lawyers did not provide the “biblical reckoning” professor Turley predicted. Cohen has remained calm and collected, but Trump’s lawyer has become exasperated and agitated by his inability to coerce Cohen to say what he wants him to say. What would could he have expected from a former lawyer? An easy witness? It’s not looking good for Trump’s lawyers right now.
Can you get back to us when Cohen, or anyone else who testified for the prosecution, provides evidence of an actual crime?
The evidence was presented earlier in the trial. Cohen just corroborated it.
What was the evidence? I must have missed it.
I have no idea what is actually happening – nor do I suspect do you.
But that does not matter. Cohen’s credibility was shot years ago.
One of the problems regarding this trial is that there really is nothing in the courtroom that matters.
There have been no revalations. There is still no crime.
Even Turley is finally saying out loud – payments to lawyers for NDA’s are legal fees.
I think Stormey did quite well on the stand.
And Trump benefited from her testimony
and it hurt Bragg.
The claims regarding whether Daniels and Trump had sex where allready decided by pretty much everyone in the country.
Some beleive this happened, others do not. Stormey did not change any minds.
Nor did she come off as credible. But she did exactly what she wanted – she made herself the “patron saint of indictments”.
She will benefit enormously from the publicity, and especially if Trump is re-elected.
Cohen’s first day testimoney was lackluster.
If you beleive every word he said – and most people do not beleive anything Cohen says – there is no crime.
If you question SOME of cohens testimony see lots of it as self serving – it is even worse.
Nechelles mostly did a good job on Daniels – but the best takedown of Daniels was outside the court by Bill Mahr.
If Blanche does not take down Cohen – SO WHAT ? If he does SO WHAT ?
Like daniels people have already decided what they beleive. And very few people beleive Cohen.
@john say,
“have no idea what is actually happening – nor do I suspect do you.”
I do. If you want follow what’s going on at the trial.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-hush-money-trial-day-17-michael-cohen-live-updates-rcna151899
So far every single witness that has been close to Trump has said that he was a great guy and great to work for – and that now includes Both Cohen and Daniels.
No one has disowned prior flattering remarks about Trump – even if they are now at war with him.
His lawyers would disagree:
The law firm Levine Staller sued Donald Trump over $1.25 million in unpaid fees that Trump attempted to claim in bankruptcy court were unsecured debt.
Levine Staller saved Trump $50 million in overpaid taxes.
Trump agreed to pay Levine Staller $7.25 million, initially paying $6 million and attempting to claim the last $1.25 million as unsecured debt.
Levine Staller sued and a judge ruled for the firm.
The law firm Morrison Cohen sued Donald Trump for nearly half a million dollars in unpaid legal fees.
Morrison Cohen represented Trump and used his name in press releases about their work.
Trump sued Morrison Cohen, who countersued for nearly half a million dollars in unpaid legal fees.
Trump and Morrison Cohen settled out of court.
William Scherer recovered $5,000 in unpaid legal fees from Donald Trump in small claims court.
David Hopper resigned mid-case and sued Donald Trump over nearly $95,000 in unpaid fees.
Hopper represented Trump against Bank of America over land rights.
Hopper resigned in the middle of the case over nearly $95,000 in unpaid fees.
Hopper’s firm sued Trump, the suit was settled out of court.
Michael Cohen sued Donald Trump over $3.8 million in unpaid fees and bills.
In 2019, Cohen sued the Trump Organization for $1.9 million in legal fees and $1.9 million in unreimbursed fines for his work representing the Trump Organization.
In 2023. Cohen and the Trump Organization settled the case confidentially.
Several attorneys that helped Donald Trump in his attempt to overturn the 2020 election tried and failed to collect payment for their work.
Donald Trump did not substantially pay Rudy Giuliani for his work to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump and Giuliani had a handshake deal for Trump to pay him for his work to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump told aides not to pay Giuliani’s legal fees.
Giuliani had $3 million in legal expenses alone without counting fees for Giuliani’s work to overturn the 2020 election.
Giuliani, his lawyer, and his son reached out to Trump to cover Giuliani’s legal bills and recoup his legal fees.
Trump only reimbursed Giuliani for his travel after the 2020 election and paid a small bill for a data vendor that housed Giuliani’s records.
And?
So you have a long list of people disagreeing about fees with Trump.
I have been in business for 50 years. The vast majority of my dealings do not result in disputes.
But I will bet that I have just as many disputes as you listed – Sometimes because I did not get paid when I was owed, sometimes because I did not pay others who beleived they were owed.
All of this is ordinary business. I would expect Trump would have orders of magnitude more conflicts than I have had. His businesses are far larger, more complex and more diverse.
But does not appear that he does.
I dont remember any of that in the Indictment. But I am flabbergasted that Colangelo did not call all of them as witnesses to this farce. Marchan would be happy to enter it all into evidence.
By “Colangelo,” the competent replacement district attorney, did you mean surrogate for Obama-Biden?
When they all fall flat on their faces, let’s be sure to get the names right.
Cohen has portrayed Trump as some sort of backstabber. Cohen detailed how he was treated after the FBI raid and how easily Trump abandoned him. Blanche struggled to keep a relevant narrative when questioning Cohen, but it seems Cohen has succeeded in avoiding what Turley predicted. Trump’s attorney is the one who ended up frustrated and he kept raising his voice. This is why Trump hired Cohen. Because he is good at avoiding direct answers. Just like Trump.
The questioning from Blanche keeps going nowhere. That’s not good.
So, Cohen is all pissy because Trump “abandoned” him. I didn’t know that was a crime. Poor Mikey.
If it wasn’t for Trump, who would Cohen be? Nobody.
@Isiebuhr56,
Cohen feels betrayed by Trump and rightly so. Cohen put Trumps character front and center. He put it into context to reinforce the prosecution’s portrayal of who Trump really is.
Sure. Because Cohen is an upstanding guy as pure as the driven snow. Good grief.
He put it into context to reinforce the prosecution’s portrayal of who Trump really is.
If only that had bearing on a CPA booking lawyer fees as legal expenses
Cohen made millions in fees at the law firm where he worked when Trump hired him. Cohen went to Trump’s office to discuss the overdue attorney fee bill Trump owed the firm and Trump coaxed him to immediately go to work for him. Cohen didn’t even return to his firm to collect his personal possessions. Trump sent his minions to collect Cohen’s possessions. Cohen testified that he still made millions for legal work he did on the side.
You have bought into the Trumpian attack theme that people in his orbit would be nothing without him. Not true. Associating with Trump ruined Cohen’s life. Without Trump, Cohen would have continued his work with the high profile law firm where he was working when Trump lured him away and he wouldn’t be disbarred. Everything Trump touches dies. He will kill American democracy if he gets the chance.
You are saying Cohen is evasive – that is a valuable skill in a fixer. It is a valueable skill in a politician.
It is not what a Jury wants from a witness.
Regardless, If I beleived you – I would not care. Cohen’s credibility was gone years ago.
His testimony did not come close to delivering – and that is if you beleive him.
Alot of it was patently unbeleivable.
Cohen testified that he did things sureptitiously to hide them from his wife.
And then Tried to claim that concerns about Melania had nothing to do with Trump’s decisions.
Not only have several witnesses testified otherwise, but the world sees Trump’s relationship to Melania.
As well as his past wives.
it is probable that the majority of people will beleive that Trump did have sex with Daniels.
It is not probable that the majority of people will beleive that Trump did not care about Melania at all – which is what Cohen testified.
@john say,
“You are saying Cohen is evasive – that is a valuable skill in a fixer. It is a valueable skill in a politician.
It is not what a Jury wants from a witness.”
I’m saying Cohen is being a lawyer. He’s doing what Trump originally hired him to do. Because he’s good at it. But Trump being Trump he made the stupid decision to throw Cohen under the bus as he’s done to countless others. That was a mistake. Now he’s reaping the consequences of that decision.
Cohen’s credibility is irrelevant. It’s Cohens testimony that matters. Right now Trump’s lawyer has not been able to undermine Cohen’s testimony by attacking his credibility because Cohen is admitting he lied, but maintains he’s not a liar. It seems Cohen has succeeded in maintaining that position under questioning. Trump’s lawyers failed to make Cohen into the person Turley claims he is.
Cohen’s credibility is irrelevant. It’s Cohens testimony that matters
Hard to believe, but yes there exists person, so stupid they would put those to sentences together . . . AND is proud of his work!
@iowan2,
You don’t understand the nuance that Cohen made while being questioned.
Cohen may have lied, but he made the point that he’s not a liar in court. It seems he succeeded in making that point to the jury.
His testimony was about corroborating the evidence. He did that by being honest about what he did. That he lied at times. He was Trump’s lawyer for years. Trump hired him because he was good at it. By admitting he lied at times he showed to the jury that he was honest enough to admit it and it’s why his testimony could be seen as credible by the jury. He gave them something to consider.
Trump’s lawyer was all over the place trying to undermine Cohen’s credibility. He was struggling and at times seemed to be frustrated. That not what you want to do in front of a jury.
Cohen’s credibility is irrelevant?? Seriously?
“Cohen is admitting he lied, but maintains he’s not a liar”
The definition of a liar is someone who lies.
Cohen made himself into the person he is. He doesn’t need Trump’s lawyers to make him into anything.
The prosecution failed to prove that Trump committed a crime.
“Cohen has portrayed . . .”
You are a serial deceiver and manipulator. Why on earth would any decent person believe a word about your “summary” of the trial?
You and Cohen: Birds of a feather.
Why would President Trump keep a attorney to represent him in the first place? It is not like this attorneys traits were not recognized before this issue with Stormy Daniels
Look at the other people who have testified as part of this. ALL the entertainment and media lawyers come off little better than Cohen.
One of the revelations of this trial is that Cohen is not sleezy to an entirely different level. He is just slightly more sleezy that Daniels lawyer or McDougal’s lawyer or AMI’s lawyer.
Obviously, the sleaziest person in the case is Donald Trump.
Because you say so ?
I respect Stormy – she is entrepreneurial.
That does not mean I believe her.
But Micheal Cohen ? Really ?
There must be someone in the world sleazier that Cohen.
But certainly not in this case.
The greatest damage to Trump;s reputation is that he hired Cohen.
He may be sleazy, but he’s still good at what he does. This is why the cross examination is not going the way Turley predicted. It’s not succeeding in undermining the credibility of Cohen’s testimony. That’s what Trump’s lawyers are trying to do, but so far it’s has not been successful.
Has Micheaql Cohen had a “come to jesus moment” ? Has he been “saved” ? Has he turned over a new leaf ?
He has lied under oath as recently as the EnMoron trial.
No one needs to undermine Cohen’s credibility – he has none.
What is he up to now – Two convictions for perjury and atleast a half a dozen other instances he has tried to perpitarate a Fraud on the court.
This is the guy who recently submitting Fake cases in a breif to an appeals court.
Who lied about poor health to get out of jail and then was caught partying.
The cross of Cohen is pretty trivial:
Blanche: Your THAT Micehal Cohen right
Cohen: Yes.
Blanche: move to strike Mt. Cohen’s entire testimoney, Move for mistrial.
Saying Micheal Cohen is a twice convicted perjurer does not do justice to the extent to which Micheal Cohen has lied.
He is worse than useless as a witness.
@john say,
Don’t you get it? It doesn’t matter that Cohen lied before or that he lied in court or that he was convicted. Trump hired him precisely because he’s good at that. Cohen having explained how and why he fell out of Trump’s favor and how Trump so callously threw him under the bus showed how Cohen’s reasons to be honest about what he did with Trump, falsify business records, is an important distinction.
He made the point very clear to the jury that he did lie and did all those things while under the employ of Trump. Admitting it freely showed he is being honest about that and it gives the jury something to seriously consider. Cohen knows his audience, the jury. Trump’s lawyers and Turley all look desperate by attacking Cohen’s credibility with the extreme rhetoric like “serial perjurer” or “convicted criminal”.
Cohen used that his advantage and it seems to have worked. Trump attorney Blanche didn’t get much out of the questioning. The meandering between topics and arriving at multiple dead ends shows that Blanche was not getting anywhere. He was not succeeding in painting Cohen as not credible with his testimony. Cohen already corroborated the evidence. That is more important to the case and the facts.
“He may be sleazy, but he’s still good at what he does.”
Lying ?
No he is not even good at that.
@john say,
“No he is not even good at that.”
Yes, he is. That’s why Trump hired him. He’s good at obfuscating and evading and answering directly. Just like Trump.
Daniels was pretty good.
Her testimony benefited Daniels. She will do well – especially when Trump wins in 2024.
Left wing nuts can by Stormey Daniels “patron saint of indictments” votive candles for $40.
I hope she makes a million.
But that does not change that she was neither credible nor added anything to the case.
Conversely while Cohen is not credible and has been contradicted by just about every other PROSECUTION witness.
Even if you beleive every word he said – there is still no crime.
@john Say,
“But that does not change that she was neither credible nor added anything to the case.”
It does change it. She clearly outmaneuvered Trump’s lawyer while she tried to sl-t shame Daniels. That gets you sympathy from the jury. It potentially added crucial context for the jury.
You don’t know much about Trump—before Cohen, Trump had Roy Cohn as his “fixer “— an attorney who attacks, threatens, bullies and intimidates people so Trump can get his way. Trump has said that Cohen was his replacement “fixer”.
And, BTW, Trump is not “President “ and does not deserve the honorary title —honor is earned, not conferred by virtue of getting into office by cheating.
“Asked if he wanted Trump to be convicted in this case, Michael Cohen responded “sure.””
What an idiotic lawyer trump has. The guy on the stand has been convicted of crimes he committed while working for trump. And now he says he would like to see his old boss convicted of crimes. I’m shocked, just shocked.
Those that know trump best are fleeing like rats from a sinking ship. The only ones left are cult followers that think the orange god will bestow something on them. Does JT think he’ll get an AG appointment from a trump presidency? Good luck with that, trump has as much chance being elected again as some homeless person in Dallas.
“Those that know trump best are fleeing like rats from a sinking ship.”
And yet they AREN’T.
Every single witness that Bragg has presented that actually worked with Trump – including Cohen and Brag has said nice things about him.
Contra your claim Republicans are fairly strongly backing Trump – outside of a very few of the “usual suspects”. Even Republicans that were skeptical are behind Trump now.
They are behind in with respect to this lawfare too.
Why ? Because every single one of them knows that what is being done to Trump can be done to any republican.
It can be done to Cruz, or Cotton, or Rubio. And in some instances it HAS been done.
The left went after Manafort and Papadoulis and Van Zandt, and Stone, and Flynn
Then they went after Bannon and Navarro, and Then they went after Guliani.\
And this is just some of the people the left has targeted.
None of these people are any more sleazy that the aparatich’s surrounding Hillary or Biden.
Some of them are people with stellar reputations. Whether you agree with their political views or not – atleast in the eyes of ordinary people who do not equate morality with agreement with their political views.
But you did not stop there – you have gone after Republican protestors – abortion protestors, Parents protesting that schools are allowing their children to get raped, Political protestors like J6.
And then you went full bull moose looney to “get Trump”
All of this has several consequences:
Large numbers of republicans – including ordinary people want revenge. You did more that go after the politicians they supported – you went after THEM – and they are PISSED. Trump has promised that his second term will be about getting things done, that he has no time to settle scores/ But that is NOT were large parts of the GOP are – and rightfully so – Turn about is fair play, but more important, this nonsense will not end until Democrats understand that TWO can play the lawfare game.
Next – most people do not understand most of the criminal allegations. All too much of it sounds like criminalizing politics, or criminalizing a failure to kow tow to the left. Most of it is unamerican – atleast not the america that most of us though we had for that past 200 years.
Super majorities of people see this as political not criminal, or even if unlawful, inconsequential compared to selling out to the chinese or the russians or to depriving one of the US’s most significant alies of assistance in the midst of an existential war, in order to placate muslim and student voting blocks that could cost you the election.
Increasingly people see this as desparate – and it is.
At this moment Biden’s re-election hopes hinge on:
An obviously conflicted and politically biased judge not throwing this mess out for lack of a case.
The hope that there is not one hold out on a manahattan Jury resulting in a hung jury.
People BELEIVING that what the Jury decides is both true and consequential,
And that beleif being strong enough to change enough votes to flip the election.
That is not only the FACTS, it is also the perception of people – right and left.
It is an act of desparation.
So let me tell you what is likely – what has been likely from the start.
Merchan will not toss this case – even though he never should have allowed it to go to trial.
Cohen is NOT going to be the smoking gun witness
It is not going to matter, The Jury is going to convict.
And finally and most importantly – this will efect few if any voters – certaionly not the 3-4% that Democrats need to get this back to the range where they can tip the election through voter fraud and not get caught.
It is possible that the outcome of this trial will be Trump GAINING in the polls.
So far none of the other predictions regarding the effect of any of this have proven True.
Over a year ago Karl Rove said that Trump can easily win this election – so long as he keeps the election about issues and not Him.
Democrats took that advice to heart and have spent mnore than a year trying to make certain the election is about Trump – and still they are failing.
Why ? Because Trump has moved from making it about sour grapes over the 2020 election – more and more people beleive their was fraud in 2020 as more and more evidence comes out. But 2020 is in peoples past, and it is not what they want to hear about.
Lawfare is in their present, and While this lawfare is about Trump.
Trump has very successfully made it about all of us. Or certainly all of us not kow towing to the left.
Trump has essentially made the election about the left trying to “Cancel” everyone who disagrees with them – because that is what all this left wing nut lawfare boils down to.
Trump narrowly defeated Clinton in 2016 – those on the left can not accept that could happen.
Despite Covid and BLM riots and the most hostile press ever, and the government itself working to elect Biden and massive censorship – Trump won or very nearly won again in 2020. And now he is likely to win decisively in 2024.
That is beyond the comprehension of those of you on the left.
You are unable to accept that not only can that happen – it is happening, and it is happening because the country views YOU as dangerous failures.
Trump keeps saying if they can do this to me they can do this to anybody – and first All republican leaders – even those that dislike Trump understant he is right – it is in THEIR interests to fight this.
But also the people understand this
“First they came for the Alt-right, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not alt-right.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Catholic.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
@john say,
Republicans are upset that Trump is being held accountable for his criminal behavior and the fact that is criminal actions have caught up to him. Republicans want revenge because he’s “unfairly” being held to account for his actions. Trump and his enablers got him into this mess, not the left.
I’ve noticed that projection is strongest when you’re defending Trump’s actions and accuse the left of “going after him”. Of course they are going after him. Going after those who break the law is always expected. It seems Trump is exempt for some reason in your mind.
Trump could have avoided all of this if he just quit breaking the law and engaging in fraud and grifting, stealing classified documents, and illegally coercing public officials to change votes.
@ John Say.
A thoroughly disjointed and meandering rant.
You may want to look up “pressure of thought” and “pressure of speech”.
These are primary symptoms of psychotic disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
I couldn’t help but notice that you also post a lot of material in the early hours of the morning. Do you find that you have trouble sleeping, and can go for several days without sleep?
This is a typical finding in the manic phase of bipolar disorder.
Just trying to be helpful.
Those that know trump best are fleeing like rats from a sinking ship.M
The betting odds are even that Barr would come back if asked.
You are not paying attention. Most of those that publicly derided Trump are angling for a position in his Administration.
What an idiotic lawyer trump ha
sd.Fixed it for you. Now he’s owned by the Democrat’s idiot lawyers where he belongs. All of whom are being exposed as lawfare idiots by Trump’s brilliant attorneys.
Cohen may have a law degree but he went to the worst rated law school. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL. And it shows. Hes also the dumbest lawyer in America. There’s stupid, then there’s Michael Cohen.
https://lawschooli.com/should-i-attend-cooley-law-school/
That is exactly why he ended up working for Trump.
He is a total loser, just like his former boss.
Losers and suckers always gravitate to each other’s company, just like on this hell-site. They love each other’s company.
As do you!! A Proggie like you sees Stalin as ‘good’ and anything else as bad and that is why you are here because it is ‘bad’. Like a fly buzzing around your mouth, trying to get in…
And yet, here you are.
It’s like watching a train wreck.
Hard to look away.
While Cohen is not brilliant, he is not all that stupid. He is amoral.
Just like his former boss.
Losers and amoral idiots always gravitate to each other’s company.
A new theory of gravitation.
He’s doing what he does best and it’s one of the reasons Trump hired him in the first place. How did Turley miss this? It should have been that obvious, but I assume Turley spent so much time attacking his character that he forgot about the fact that Cohen was hired by Trump because he’s good at what he does and it showed during questioning.
He may have gone to the worst school, but right now he’s outmaneuvered Trump’s lawyers on the stand. Trump’s lawyers are not succeeding in getting what they want from Cohen. Cohen is doing what he was originally hired to do, be a slick lawyer.
Hope Hicks said he was a screw-up.
I was just wondering: Does anyone know when Obama, Biden, Colangelo, and Big Al are going to bring a valid criminal case with actual charges?
Calling democrats fascists on this site is a common theme of trump supporters.
It is also a method trump himself uses to blame everybody else for things he is doing.
Here is a good look at who the fascists are…
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-meets-three-of-the-four-criteria-fascism?utm_source=publication-search
Reminds me of all the ists names you lot call conservatives. Why wouldn’t you agree? Don’t you think we should agree when you call us you ists name of the day? Chump
Trump supporters are not conservatives. Go ahead… call people like Romney, McCain, Bush, Cheney, Reagan, etc. RINOs. It has taken on the meaning of real conservatives.
Anonymous: thank you. Trump supporters are NOT conservatives. Conservatives believe in family values, paying valid debts, respect for the rule of law, honesty, integrity and marital fidelity, just to list a few attributes. Trump proudly flaunts each and every one of these values. That’s why The Bulwark and Lincoln Project came about–Republicans who refuse to go along with the Cult of Trump and who aren’t going to abandon traditional Republican principles they hold dear to a wannabe dictator.
It is not an error to use the word fascist for a group that tries to censor, silence, intimidate and jail their opponents.
“Crazy Abe” Lincoln?
OT – OMG!
Dennis must be placed on suicide watch!
“Fake” Un-President Obama-Biden just went FULL-TRUMP, imposing tariffs on his closest ally, Communist China.
Hahaha. On cars nobody wants. Hahahah
When ICE cars are regulated out of existence, you will WANT what you are told to WANT
Where is the judicial branch?
Oh, yeah – corrupted.
Products, manufacturers, industries, free Americans and free enterprises cannot be regulated, only the value of money, commerce among the States, and land and naval Forces, per Article 1, Section 8.
I, for one, will be so glad when this whole thing is over. I don’t know how Mr. Trump has stood the strain of it all. It is miraculous that he would still want to serve the country as President. His vision of energy independence, jobs, addressing the needs of the minority communities, strong military and support for Israel rings loud in the heart of millions of citizens of this great country. His great rally in New Jersey of around 100,000 people has frightened the Democrats into a corner. As they have done for years, Democrats have used the Courts to press their agenda or to get political opponents out of the way.
The strain must be enormous. Imagine if you were a pal of Jeffrey Epstein, through whose circle you met Melania, and in July the official flight logs of Jeffrey Epstein are going to be released buy the state of Florida and your name will be on them. Imagine if you stole military secrets on your way out of office and blabbed some of them to people with no clearances. Imagine if you had sex with a porn star and then went around holding Bibles claiming to be a man of god. Imagine bragging about how sexually hot your daughter is and that you’d date her if she weren’t your daughter. Imagine if you told constant lies like claiming the gag order prevented you from talking about everything when it was only limited to witnesses and court staff, or lies about how much the state valued Mar-a-Lago at $18 million when you yourself claimed it was only worth that much on the Palm Beach property tax bill, or the doozy of a lie that the election was stolen. Imagine that most of the people who worked with you think you’re unethical, immoral, narcissistic and incompetent. THAT… is a lot of pressure.
So much easier to tell that you were inseminated by a liar and conceived of one too! And, without doubt, you truly are the proof that male goats can mate with human females and produce offspring!! Amazing! Have you approached Oprah or Joy or even the pathological Lying Xiden, with your amazing achievement!! Must’ve been tough in school. If only your father had been Mr. Ed the Talking Horse!! Geez, you could have been such a Stud on Campus!
Trump does not “want to serve the country as President”–he wants the country to serve him–that massive ego–the power, the attention, the adulation that his sick soul must have. He has NO visions whatsoever that benefit most Americans. He proposes rolling back environmental and consumer protections–he pandered to oil executives, telling them they could write his Executive Order cutting regulations on drilling, emissions, etc–in exchange for a billion dollars in a campaign contribution, Republicans want to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and ban all abortions. Trump wants to abolish the ACA that millions of Americans rely on for health–he has no replacement–never did have–another big, fat lie. More Americans now have health insurance than ever before. He wants to extend the tax cuts to the wealthiest individuals and corporations, and the loss of tax revenue and interest on the increased national debt that have resulted from Trump’s pandering to the wealthy, along with his stupid tariffs, are driving inflation that he’s trying to blame on Biden.
We already have energy independence–Obama accomplished that. Under Biden, unemployment hit a 50-year low. Trump couldn’t care less about the minority community, and Israel is engaging in genocide, according to the UN, which will result in unending conflicts in the Middle East. The only solution is a 2-state solution, something Netanyahu refuses to consider while he goes on his killing rampage. Trump is a big, fat phony and liar. He has no respect for the rule of law, so he has his enablers to violate the Judge’s gag order by attacking the Judge’s family and witnesses. Trump is NO victim–he is the thief of classified documents, he engaged in falsification of business records to help his campaign by covering up a tryst with a porn actress and started an insurrection because he refuses to honor the will of the American people. So, he should just get a free pass for these crimes?
Consider the state of this country when Biden took office compared to when Trump took office–Trump got a healthy economy and Biden got a recession with double-digit unemployment, businesses, schools, restaurants closed down all because Trump had no idea how to lead in a crisis, so he did what he always does–lie about it–downplay the seriousness. The only significant legislation Trump got passed was the huge tax breaks for the wealthiest. Biden has gotten passed the COVID Relief Act, Infrastructure Act, CHIPS Act and had a border security bill ready to go until Trump trashed it to create a fake issue to lure voters.
“Trump does not “want to serve the country as President”–he wants the country to serve him”
That is such an obvious fact that shows how strong the cult of trump is. Is there any evidence contrary to that statement? Yet trump supporters embrace every word of trump as fact, god given, truth, and if you oppose trump you are going to hell.
trump is certainly the best at one thing, He is the consummate grifter. Certainly the best in our lifetimes, maybe an all-time great?
I know what your cult is, boi! I bet you prefer to drink it black.
So says the dependent parasite, who just hates the American thesis of Freedom and Self-Reliance and has relied during its entire existence on unconstitutional benefits, entitlements, and charity such as welfare, affirmative action, quotas, forced busing, public housing, unfair “Fair Housing” laws, discriminatory “Non-Discrimination” laws, WIC, SNAP, TANF, HAMP, HARP, Social Security Disability, Obamacare, etc.
Dennis, excuse me, ‘Gigi’,
you’re not using DJT this time
(because you got called out about it).
Gigi, you run away from every discussion when facts are presented. You are one layer deep, and that is covered with insulting rhetoric and lies. You cannot deal with individual points because you are ignorant of the facts and make things up to suit your purposes.
It would help if you were not treated civilly, as you lie and insult. You should be treated like what you spew: garbage.
Trump has already been President. Except for COVID, over which he had no control, his administration was successful.
To the Trump cultists out there, this could all be over very soon. All you have to do is write or call your Dear Leader and tell him to take the stand under oath and clear this all up. Now that would be a reckoning of biblical proportions.
FUNFACTS:
Our “Dear Leader” is the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Your “Dear Leader” is Karl Marx through his Communist Manifesto.
The perjury suborned by Alvin Bragg, Fani Willis, Barack Hussein Obama et al. is flagrant, self-destructive, and requires no rebuttal.
So you want trump to take the stand?
The perjury suborned by Alvin Bragg, Fani Willis, Barack Hussein Obama et al. is flagrant, self-destructive, and requires no rebuttal.
Actually, Trump could be breezing to a win in this case if he merely admitted, “Yes, I had an affair with Stormy Daniels. I paid her off because I didn’t want to hurt my wife.” The end. Case closed. Trump is hanging himself. By claiming he’s innocent of the affair, he’s created a gaping legal hole. If there wasn’t an affair… then why pay Stormy Daniels $130,000 to not publicize something that never happened. Thus, the connection: pay her to mitigate damage to the campaign. Illegal. And Trump is soooooooo cheap, instead of keeping it private and paying her with his own money, he did it as a scheme through his business. This is how utterly incompetent Trump is.
“Yes, I had an affair with Stormy Daniels. I paid her off because I didn’t want to hurt my wife.””
Except evidence shows he doesn’t give a rats hind end about his wife. He was concerned how this would play with women voters, not men, Men would take that news as trump being the alpha male and we all want to have as many women as him so of course men would support him, but not women.
Sorry, your thesis is contrary to facts in evidence. But, trump could take the stand and tell us what he was thinking. Will he?
So you admit, you communists had no case from the “fake” outset.
You had no hope for your Soviet-style show trial when you stupidly dreamed it up.
Thank you, comrade!
Not to worry!
This “fake” case will be closed definitively and with extreme prejudice soon enough, with its perpetrators thrown in prison for false and malicious prosecution and the gross, flagrant, and egregious subornation of perjury.
. If there wasn’t an affair… then why pay Stormy Daniels $130,000
Not my area of expertise, you must be speaking from experience.
I will note that Trumps doorman took the NDA money for telling outright lies.
Alvin Bragg and Fani Willis: Racists suborning perjury.
“It’s the [Obama], stupid!”
– James Carville
Merchan will dismiss, but not before he is sure every possible detail that he thinks might possibly damage President Trump oozes out of their slimy witnesses. Then he will suddenly take the high road, and turn on Bragg for his baseless prosecution, with many a sigh that he felt it was his duty to allow the prosecutor to present his case, it being a President and all. So important. He will try to salvage his reputation, for the history books. What’s happening in his court right now is not what any serious judge would want to be remembered for.
Juanito Merchan has criminally presided over a malicious prosecution and has suborned perjury.
“…baseless prosecution…”
Here’s the indictment: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/04/read-the-trump-indictment-document-00087925
Now, try something that the legal scholars Trump cites, including Turley have failed to do. Provide an analysis of the indictments and explain why they are baseless. For example, here’s one of the 34 indictments:
“The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about March 16, 2017 through March 17, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated February 16, 2017 and transmitted on or about March 16, 2017, marked as a record of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.”
Explain either the false entry is untrue; or explain that it was a false entry but was not intended to conceal an affair with Stormy Daniels in order to prevent Trump’s election chances from being tanked.
Let’s see your analysis.
It’s not a crime to falsify business records, moron!!!!
It is absolutely, unequivocally, beyond any shadow of doubt that the falsification of business records is a crime.
When you take out a business license and operate as an LLC, the state protects you from personal liability if the business fails. The LL in “LLC”, is LIMITED LIABILITY. If the business fails or goes bankrupt then you can walk away with no personal liability, leaving the LLC creditors to take the loss, as Trump has done numerous times.
In return for this protection, as a condition of holding the LLC license, you agree to keep accurate business records. The reason for this is so that other entities with whom you do business can reasonably assume that you are a legitimate business. This offers a degree of protection to everyone else in the business world.
There are criminal statutes covering the falsification of business records so that shady operators can be punished if they take advantage of their LLC protections to scam others.
was not intended to conceal an affair with Stormy Daniels in order to prevent Trump’s election chances from being tanked.
Not a crime
It’s not a crime if Trump used his personal funds. But when it’s campaign funds, there are federal and New York State laws against that.
Issues for the FEC and the N.Y. state version, both of which refused the “case.”
The funds are personal. Trump Trust
Try analyzing the indictment. Stop repeating the drivel from Trump sycophants.
You forgot the ham sandwich.
Anonymous said: ” ‘a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated February 16, 2017 and transmitted on or about March 16, 2017, marked as a record of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.’
Explain either the false entry is untrue; or explain that it was a false entry but was not intended to conceal an affair with Stormy Daniels in order to prevent Trump’s election chances from being tanked.”
Um, ********* (uncharitable, but probably optimistic, assessment of your IQ suppressed). Perhaps you could explain something, to wit: How an entry made on February 16., 2017 and booked on March 16, 2017. could possibly, false entry ot not, “conceal an affair with Stormy Daniels in order to prevent Trump’s election chances from being tanked” when the election to which you refer occured on November 8, 2016. Was there a time machine involved? Will the charlatan prosecutor call H. G. Wells to testify next?
The claim (as quoted) was that THE ENTRY, NOT THE NDA, was intended to conceal the affair and protect Trump’s election chances. That claim is what I mocked, with full justification. It isn’t my fault that you are the hopelessly moronic, illiterate, and competely useless product of a marxist propaganda system masquerading as public education.
Idiot… Cohen paid it before the election. Trump paid him back after. You’re a moron and you got exposed.
An invoice was submitted. That is true. It was paid. That is true. What is false about the billing process? It is not true that the invoice was a Trump record. It was retained, but not created, by the Trump organization. If you want to see the definition of “a regular business record”, you may want to see Federal Rule of Evidence 806, if memory serves.
If this is correct, then why haven’t Trump’s lawyers vigorously argued this point when the evidence was introduced.
Simple answer: YOU ARE WRONG
Please tell us how the legal services rendered by Cohen should have been billed. Imagine you are submitting an invoice for Cohen and tell us how it describes what is being billed.
Cohen was NOT billing for legal services pursuant to a retainer agreement. He was using the false invoices to hide the fact that he was being REIMBURSED for payments that he had made to Daniels. He testified to that effect. There was no retainer agreement with Trump. Cohen testified to that effect. He conspired with Trump and Weisselberg in this illegal conspiracy to falsify business records.
All Trump had to do was produce a retainer agreement signed by Cohen and himself and everything would be fine. No crime. no trial. But there is no retainer agreement. Trump could assert that there was a verbal agreement, which would also effectively absolve him. To do this he has to take the stand and testify, which he obviously will not do.
It is very simple.
Why can’t you understand this?
BugAnon – Generally, there is no requirment that a retainer agreement be in writing, although it is obviously good practice, and required by ethics rules in some states. I doubt that Cohen testified that there was no verbal retainer agreement. But even if he did so testify, there was obviously was agreement to “retain” his services, since he acted on behalf of Trump and Trump paid for his services. If the agreement was not verbal, it was established by the actions of the parties.
The indictment does not say that the records are false because no retainer agreement exists. Bragg simply asserts that the records are “false” and leaves it at that. So, the prosecution does not know what it is trying to say. It is enough for them to repeat the word “falsity”.
You say that Cohen used “false invoices” to hide the fact that he was being reimbursed for payments to Daniels. In other words, you are saying that if Cohen had separated hourly billings from expenses, the billings would have been legal. I don’t know of any requirement that expenses and hours be separated, but if we assume that there is, the “false records” were created by Cohen, not Trump.
Maybe you can explain….Why aren’t the feds prosecuting Trump’s case? Isn’t he charged with a federal crime?
my non-legal opinion today:
What I find “unfixable” is that Judge Merchan did not sequester the jury from the get-go. (True, such sequestering is within a judge’s discretion.) (and instructing a jury to avoid, or not discuss, or pay no attention is like….[you can insert your own metaphor here….])
But Merchan knew full well the massive influence of anti-Trump media and its daily, if not hourly, selective-fact reporting, twists, misrepresentations, and machinations, –as well as his own daughter’s media postings. He knew the attention that would be paid to Michael Cohen and any other print space or headline or news broadcast in America’s Left-controlled mass communications.
Yet, the jury left the courtroom everyday, like leaving a job, to come home to an onslaught of tainted, opinionated, selective coverage, -as well as the voices and opinions of the jurors’ family members and friends who also absorbed all that. After being bombarded with extra-judicial material, can we deny that jurors might then approach and interpret what they were presented with in court with “confirmation bias?”
Do not interpret my comment as “pro-Trump,” but rather as “pro-defendant” who is trying to keep his head above water in an already refuse-filled kitchen sink.
“…in an already refuse-filled kitchen sink…”
You bring in too many prejudices to be able to claim you approached the case with a totally open mind and went where the evidence led.
“the worthless or useless part of something (Merriam-Webster), or, (since you might be a Wikipedia devotee), “discarded or rejected items” (Wiktionary). Not likely she was referring to legitimate judicial profferings in evidence, not subject to objection.
Lin,
Good point.
I have to wonder if some of the jury reads the good professor’s blog to get through the MSM lies.
Fox is MSM.
Jonathan: As Michael Cohen was testifying yesterday what was DJT doing? Ten minutes into Cohen’s testimony DJT closed his eyes and appeared to nod off. This has happened every day of the trial. To prevent that his lawyers have provided him with reading material–or pictures to look. According to one person who could observe, DJT was looking at the photos from his rally in Wildwood, NJ last Saturday. His supporters and some press accounts say there were 100,000 people at the rally where DJT spoke for 90 minutes. Remember that was the rally where DJT made the very weird reference to the “late great Hannibal Lecter”. Anyway, overhead video shows there were at max 10,000 people at the rally–that’s because Wildwood is Trump Country that went for him big in 2016. The rest of the state went for Biden in 2020. Small detail because prefers HIS reporting.
I also have it on good authority that among the materials was looking at while Cohen was testifying was a coloring book with pictures of different animals—a giraffe, an elephant, a lion, etc. One of DJT’s attorneys gave him coloring pencils so he could show which was which. That kept DJT focused–at least for awhile.
Was that supposed to be humor?
Dennis – your handlers need to give you better material. Trying to protray DJT as childish is not going to help your cause.
This trial is all about putting a wedge between Trump and the evangelical and christian community, no more, no less as there is no there there.
I am not an attorney, but does Trump have a case for malicious prosecution; if he is put on trial without a crime, then why doesn’t Trump have a case?
Dennis, if you ever had ANYTHING on ‘good authority’ it would certainly be something.
You get caught exaggerating and lying every single day.
Like your man Biden does. He’s still in the lead, but you’re gaining on him.
Oddly, I have not seen a single video shown on any network in the past four years showing Biden at any outdoor rally with more than 100 supporters in actual attendance. And it looks like his handlers are attempting to justify yet another “Basement Campaign” (ie extremely limited appearances and access) using “pro-hamas protesters” (whom Biden has himself enabled) as an excuse.
Well gosh, that might be embarrassing to his campaign. Should Trump record the fees he’s paying them as “legal expenses”, or “campaign contributions”?
“A reckoning of biblical proportions” if the judge weren’t irretrievably compromised. I expect infinite objections by the prosecution which will be upheld by corrupt soul seller Judge Merchan and will effectively neuter the cross- examination.
On the surface, this is a “documents” case. That part is silly, since the relevant records, the checks, the underlying vouchers and the General Ledger, all accurately reflect actual financial acts. Criminal statutes are supposed to be construed strictly for the benefit of the accused. Therefore, the records are not “false” despite the background of the payments.
No, this another in a long line of examples of the “Woman Card” Going back to at least Clarence Thomas, Democrats, when stymied, seek to protray Republican nominees and politicians as brutal, insensitive, disrespectful, and perhaps even violent toward women. There is a belief that women can be persuaded to “buy” this characterization to a sufficient degree to change official actions. Conversely, Democrat men are protrayed as the friends of women.
Thus, JFK (who enjoyed prostitutes supplied by the mafia in the White House), Bill Clinton (who had a history of violence toward women throughout his life and who ended up enjoying teenage girls on Epstein’s Love Island), and Joe Biden (who exposed himself to female Secret Service agents, took showers with his daughter, and has sniffed, nudged, and mishandled females throughout his life) are protrayed as gallant. Thus, Republicans, e.g., Clarence Thomas, Thomas Kavanagh, Donald Trump, and many others, are protrayed as little more than misogynistic brutes. This strategy must work for Democrats or they would not use it. Of course, the left-wing MSM eagerly pushes these stereotypes. In Thomas’ case, they keep it alive to show what can happen to someone who wanders from the Reservation.