The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today

[Axtremus]

Musical interlude:

Link to video

[taiwan_girl]

President Trump fined again for violating gag order.

https://www.npr.org/2024/05/06/1248648842/trump-gag-order-new-york-trial-fine

"Because this is now the 10th time that this Court has found Defendant
in criminal contempt, spanning three separate motions, it is apparent that monetary fines have not and will not, suffice to deter Defendant from violating this Court's lawful orders," Merchan said in his written order.

Doesnt matter if you agree or disagree with the judge. You know you are under a microscope. To me, this just shows a lack of common sense, judgement, etc etc on the part of President Trump. I mean, come on. First time, okay, maaaaybe you can say it was a mistake. Second time, hmmmm. Third time, you have to question his comprehension/cognitive abilities.

[George K]

@taiwan_girl said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

To me, this just shows a lack of common sense, judgement, etc etc on the part of President Trump. I mean, come on.

There are those who say that Trump's First Amendment Right is being infringed. I'm not sure how that plays out when he insults the judge.

OTOH, pointing out that the judge's daughter is a DNC fundraiser and that his refusal to recuse himself should be allowed. She also has worked on the Biden and Harris campaign.

The judge’s daughter, Loren Merchan, is president of Authentic Campaigns, a Chicago-based progressive political consulting firm whose top clients include Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who was the lead prosecutor in Trump’s first impeachment trial, and the Senate Majority PAC, a major party fundraiser.

“Authentic Campaigns, and thus the judge’s daughter, is actively making money from this sham attack against President Trump, rendering Judge Merchan conflicted out,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung told The Post, adding that evidence of bias is even clearer now than it was in August when Merchan rejected Trump’s first recusal motion.

If the judge orders him jailed, what do you think would be the effect on his campaign? IMO, it can't possibly hurt.

https://jonathanturley.org/2024/03/27/the-gag-and-the-goad-trump-should-appeal-latest-gag-order/

My opposition to past gag orders was based on the constitutional right of defendants to criticize their prosecutions. Courts have gradually expanded both the scope and use of such orders. It has gone from being relatively rare to commonplace. However, the use to gag the leading candidate for the presidency in the final months of the campaign only magnifies those concerns.

There is a division on courts in dealing with such challenges involving politicians. For example, a court struggled with those issues in the corruption trial of Rep. Harold E. Ford Sr. (D–Tenn.). The district court barred Ford from making any “extrajudicial statement that a reasonable person would expect to be disseminated by means of public communication,” including criticism of the motives of the government or basis, merits, or evidence of the prosecution.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected the gag order as overbroad and stressed that any such limits on free speech should be treated as “presumptively void and may be upheld only on the basis of a clear showing that an exercise of First Amendment rights will interfere with the rights of the parties to a fair trial.”

This order allows for criticism of the case and both Merchan and Bragg. However, you have key figures like Cohen and Coangelo who are already central figures in this political campaign. In Cohen’s case, he has actively engaged in a campaign to block Trump politically and has done countless interviews on this case as part of the legal campaign.

[taiwan_girl]

@George-K I understand (and part agree) with you. But, knowing that you are under a super powerful microscope and anything you do/say/etc will be analyzed, why would you do/say/etc anything?

I'm sure he has a whole communications team working for him. East enough for them send out news briefs, go on Fox News, etc. with the same claims. The fact that he is doing it just re-inforces my opinion that he does not have anybody to keep in inside the guard rails. Super big deal when he says stuff about the trial? Maybe not. Super big deal if he is in charge of the US nuclear bombs? Yup.

[George K]

@taiwan_girl said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

knowing that you are under a super powerful microscope and anything you do/say/etc will be analyzed, why would you do/say/etc anything?

To ask that question is to answer it.

Also, presumably, he can use that to mount an appeal. "I was figuratively shackled by a biased judge!"

he does not have anybody to keep in inside the guard rails

Never did, never will.

[Doctor Phibes]

@George-K said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

If the judge orders him jailed, what do you think would be the effect on his campaign?

He might conceivably get to meet Mr. Bigly in the showers.

[George K]

Oh, Ms. Daniels Clifford, were you lying then, or are you lying now?

[Jolly]

Point is, she lied. Publicly. Legally.

[Jolly]

I've said before, Trump would LOVE for this judge to jail him.

[jon-nyc]

@George-K said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

Oh, Ms. Daniels Clifford, were you lying then, or are you lying now?

I think we all know the answer to that.

[Doctor Phibes]

@Jolly said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

Point is, she lied. Publicly. Legally.

And Trump's telling the truth, presumably.

[Renauda]

@Doctor-Phibes said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

@Jolly said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

Point is, she lied. Publicly. Legally.

And Trump's telling the truth, presumably.

Personally, I cannot imagine either one of them telling anything other than falsehoods. On any topic, in court under oath or out of court before the cameras. Lies and more damn lies. They simply don’t know any better.

[George K]

Remember, this trial isn't about sex. If that were the case we'd be talking about JFK Clinton. It's about an NDA, which somehow they've managed to contort into an election finance violation - even though the event occurred a decade before the election.

[Axtremus]

@George-K said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

Remember, this trial isn't about sex. If that were the case we'd be talking about JFK Clinton. It's about an NDA, which somehow they've managed to contort into an election finance violation - even though the event occurred a decade before the election.

But act(s) of covering it up was committed during the election and allegedly campaign funds were used in the coverup.

[George K]

Covering it up is not a crime. THat's the exact definition of an NDA.

Yesterday, Trumps banker said that Trump knew nothing about where the funds were allocated from.

The "felony" part of this trial is that there was an election crime (funds diverted to cover up a crime). No crime has been adjudicated. Makes it difficult to tag a felony onto it, doesn't it?

[taiwan_girl]

@George-K said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

Never did, never will.

Exactly, and I think that is a problem.

(As Paul Ryan said today - character matters)

[taiwan_girl]

@George-K said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

.....this trial isn't about sex

But in the public mind, it is. Though I dont think that this willl change anybodies (voters) mind one way or the other.

[George K]

@taiwan_girl said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

(As Paul Ryan said today - character matters)

We're way past that. You're not wrong, of course, but people look at how things are going and say..."huh?"

But in the public mind, it is (about sex).

Why do you think that is? Perhaps because EVERY story refers to it as the "Hush Money Trial?" Again, there's nothing illegal about an NDA. Happens between people, corporations, etc. all the time.

Bragg has distorted it, as I mentioned it into something else.

REmember, the Feds declined this case years ago.

[taiwan_girl]

@George-K said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

@taiwan_girl said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

(As Paul Ryan said today - character matters)

We're way past that. You're not wrong, of course, but people look at how things are going and say..."huh?"

But in the public mind, it is (about sex).

Why do you think that is? Perhaps because EVERY story refers to it as the "Hush Money Trial?" Again, there's nothing illegal about an NDA. Happens between people, corporations, etc. all the time.

Bragg has distorted it, as I mentioned it into something else.

REmember, the Feds declined this case years ago.

Because it is more "exciting".

Same reason most stories about President Biden's son's laptop start out with talking about the photos on there of him with drugs, prostitutes, etc.

[George K]

@taiwan_girl said in The Trump "Hush Money" Trial starts today:

Same reason most stories about President Biden's son's laptop start out with talking about the photos on there of him with drugs, prostitutes, etc.

That's right. Titilation always wins.

But, your analogy falls a bit short because the laptop contains evidence, or at least suggestions, of actual crimes.

Being naked with a hooker, snorting cocaine, while pulling her hair is probably not illegal (well, the cocaine part is). Documenting your father's participation in alleged bribery probably is.