NY: Trump on Trial!

[mjba257]

Well the goal isn't just to get him on anything. He (allegedly) broke the law to illegally influence the election and that is a crime worth prosecting, for the deterrent effect if nothing else. Who cares if it's technically illegal that he cheated on his wife?

My God, you are incredibly dense. Surprised you don't have a red avatar. No, this is absolutely not a "crime worth prosecuting". it's making a mountain out of a mole hill and is so obviously a political hit job. Bragg is a far left elected official. Colanegelo is a former Biden administration official. These are not good faith actors. They are hacks utilizing a novel legal theory to go after the Democrats chief political rival. All surrounding a frivolous event from nearly a decade ago.

Here is what any ethical, good faith prosecutor would do - ignore it. Move on. Who gives a bleep? Nobody was harmed, and zero evidence this would've swayed the election. People have know for years Trump is a philanderer and almost no one would've been surprised to find out he had an affair with a porn star. People just don't care about that stuff anymore.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Well the goal isn't just to get him on anything. He (allegedly) broke the law to illegally influence the election and that is a crime worth prosecting, for the deterrent effect if nothing else. Who cares if it's technically illegal that he cheated on his wife?

My God, you are incredibly dense. Surprised you don't have a red avatar. No, this is absolutely not a "crime worth prosecuting". it's making a mountain out of a mole hill and is so obviously a political hit job. Bragg is a far left elected official. Colanegelo is a former Biden administration official. These are not good faith actors. They are hacks utilizing a novel legal theory to go after the Democrats chief political rival. All surrounding a frivolous event from nearly a decade ago.

Here is what any ethical, good faith prosecutor would do - ignore it. Move on. Who gives a bleep? Nobody was harmed, and zero evidence this would've swayed the election. People have know for years Trump is a philanderer and almost no one would've been surprised to find out he had an affair with a porn star. People just don't care about that stuff anymore.

Cope.

[mjba257]

Well the goal isn't just to get him on anything. He (allegedly) broke the law to illegally influence the election and that is a crime worth prosecting, for the deterrent effect if nothing else. Who cares if it's technically illegal that he cheated on his wife?

My God, you are incredibly dense. Surprised you don't have a red avatar. No, this is absolutely not a "crime worth prosecuting". it's making a mountain out of a mole hill and is so obviously a political hit job. Bragg is a far left elected official. Colanegelo is a former Biden administration official. These are not good faith actors. They are hacks utilizing a novel legal theory to go after the Democrats chief political rival. All surrounding a frivolous event from nearly a decade ago.

Here is what any ethical, good faith prosecutor would do - ignore it. Move on. Who gives a bleep? Nobody was harmed, and zero evidence this would've swayed the election. People have know for years Trump is a philanderer and almost no one would've been surprised to find out he had an affair with a porn star. People just don't care about that stuff anymore.

Cope.

Wow, what a comeback.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Today's witness is reportedly Stormy Daniels.  Start the popcorn machine.

[emailking]

Well the goal isn't just to get him on anything. He (allegedly) broke the law to illegally influence the election and that is a crime worth prosecting, for the deterrent effect if nothing else. Who cares if it's technically illegal that he cheated on his wife?

My God, you are incredibly dense.

Wow ok I feel like I've been pretty polite with you. You think nothing you've posted has raised my eyebrows? Dude.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Well the goal isn't just to get him on anything. He (allegedly) broke the law to illegally influence the election and that is a crime worth prosecting, for the deterrent effect if nothing else. Who cares if it's technically illegal that he cheated on his wife?

My God, you are incredibly dense. Surprised you don't have a red avatar. No, this is absolutely not a "crime worth prosecuting". it's making a mountain out of a mole hill and is so obviously a political hit job. Bragg is a far left elected official. Colanegelo is a former Biden administration official. These are not good faith actors. They are hacks utilizing a novel legal theory to go after the Democrats chief political rival. All surrounding a frivolous event from nearly a decade ago.

Here is what any ethical, good faith prosecutor would do - ignore it. Move on. Who gives a bleep? Nobody was harmed, and zero evidence this would've swayed the election. People have know for years Trump is a philanderer and almost no one would've been surprised to find out he had an affair with a porn star. People just don't care about that stuff anymore.

Cope.

Wow, what a comeback.

The one you deserve Trump "hater".

[GeorgiaModerate]

Well the goal isn't just to get him on anything. He (allegedly) broke the law to illegally influence the election and that is a crime worth prosecting, for the deterrent effect if nothing else. Who cares if it's technically illegal that he cheated on his wife?

My God, you are incredibly dense. Surprised you don't have a red avatar. No, this is absolutely not a "crime worth prosecuting". it's making a mountain out of a mole hill and is so obviously a political hit job. Bragg is a far left elected official. Colanegelo is a former Biden administration official. These are not good faith actors. They are hacks utilizing a novel legal theory to go after the Democrats chief political rival. All surrounding a frivolous event from nearly a decade ago.

Here is what any ethical, good faith prosecutor would do - ignore it. Move on. Who gives a bleep? Nobody was harmed, and zero evidence this would've swayed the election. People have know for years Trump is a philanderer and almost no one would've been surprised to find out he had an affair with a porn star. People just don't care about that stuff anymore.

Cope.

Wow, what a comeback.

The one you deserve Trump "hater".

Keep it civil, please, or take your arguments elsewhere.  Most of us are here to follow the trial updates, not for sniping between users.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

My understanding is that if there are more violations, Merchan can jail Trump for a short span, i.e. overnight, to demonstrate that he's serious, and then leave additional jail time as an option should more violations continue.

For a finding of contempt, the judge can put him behind bars indefinitely. There is no set time that the judge has to hold to, it's really in the judge's discretion. But you would have to imagine that if the judge takes this step against trump, it is likely just for an overnight to start.

There's a 30 day-per-violation cap for NY criminal contempt alongside the $1K/violation fine cap.

Correct. The type of indefinite contempt laws Illiniwek referenced are for when Witnesses refuse to testify under court order or the like and can be jailed indefinitely until they yield and take the stand. Not sure what New York's law is about that, but the 30-day / $1,000 maximum penalty here is what applies.

IMHO, what Merchan should have done here was to impose both the $1,000 fine he did as well as the maximum 30-day jail sentence, but suspend the jail sentence and allow him to purge that portion of the contempt- not the fine- on the simple condition he not have any further violations for the duration of this trial or however long afterwards if at all the gag order can be extended. Make it explicitly clear that that 30-day suspended sentence can be imposed PLUS any additional maximum 30-day sentence for future violations. At that point Trump can argue a lot less effectively - outside of his personality Cult of course- that being incarcerated was for anything less than being given repeated non-stop warnings which he refused to adhere to.

While I certainly don't want to suggest that Judge Merchan is specifically trying to give Mr. Trump enough rope to hang himself, something occurs to me.

IF (when) Mr. Trump violates the gag order again, should Judge Merchan gives him a 30-day suspended sentence as you suggest, and IF Mr. Trump then violates the gag order a further additional time after that (which would be at least his 12th violation, I believe), Judge Merchan would then be in the position where he could quite reasonably impose a 60-day jail sentence on Mr. Trump.

Given what we've seen so far, that hearing to impose such a 60-day sentence on Mr. Trump would likely take place on or after May 20th. Were Mr. Trump to be jailed on May 20th (or later) for 60 days, he would not be released until after July 18th.

While emerging from jail days or weeks before the RNC might be something Mr. Trump can spin with some success (and might even be seeking), being in jail during the RNC seems like it might be harder to spin.

[emailking]

Stormy is testifying.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Well the goal isn't just to get him on anything. He (allegedly) broke the law to illegally influence the election and that is a crime worth prosecting, for the deterrent effect if nothing else. Who cares if it's technically illegal that he cheated on his wife?

He’s not being prosecuted for election interference, he’s being prosecuted for falsifying business records.  And I’m suggesting he still be prosecuted under the exact same crimes.  It would just be a much stronger letter-of-the-law case for making these crimes a felony. He wouldn’t be prosecuted for the affair, but for the cover-up.  It would be the exact same logic as the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

[emailking]

Election interference is why he's being prosecuted even if it's not a charge. If there was any doubt of that it was clear from Opening Statements that's the motive of the prosecution.

Maybe in theory the case would be stronger if they prosecuted him for adultery as the underlying crime he was covering up but I think they'd run the risk of jury nullification there. I think even I  would have a hard time as a juror with that one.

[GeorgiaModerate]

https://twitter.com/TylerMcBrien/status/1787865314711031986

[soundchaser]

https://twitter.com/TylerMcBrien/status/1787865314711031986

Of course, it'll be what the defense does with her that'll be interesting. The prosecution's approach isn't surprising thus far.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Anyway.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Didn't expect Ben Roethlisberger to show up as a Trump accomplice! Can't imagine he's very popular in NYC.

[wbrocks67]

Is the court addressing her as Stormy? Shouldn't they be addressing her as Stephanie Clifford?

[Redban]

Judge Merchan scolded prosecutors about the “degree of detail” they were going into during their questioning of Stormy Daniels. “The degree of detail that we’re going into here is just unnecessary,” Merchan told ADA Susan Hoffinger. Merchan later also admonished Daniels, telling her to: “Please keep the answers short, just listen to the question, and answer the question.”

https://nypost.com/2024/05/06/us-news/trumps-hush-money-nyc-trial-live-updates-testimony-photos-more/

[Burke Bro]

According to Daniels, Trump told her during the dinner on the night they had sex: “you remind me of my daughter.” You can’t make this sh**t up.

[LBJer]

According to Daniels, Trump told her during the dinner on the night they had sex: “you remind me of my daughter.” You can’t make this sh**t up.

Not surprising, given that he said he'd be dating Ivanka if she wasn't his daughter.

[emailking]

Is the court addressing her as Stormy? Shouldn't they be addressing her as Stephanie Clifford?

I believe she said on the stand she prefers to be addressed as Stormy Daniels so I guess so.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Yeah, he TOTALLY cared about Melania's feelings.

https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1787864173356917152

[GeorgiaModerate]

That's the least surprising bit of news in the trial so far. 

[President Johnson]

According to Daniels, Trump told her during the dinner on the night they had sex: “you remind me of my daughter.” You can’t make this sh**t up.

Not surprising, given that he said he'd be dating Ivanka if she wasn't his daughter.

And the people who worship him say Biden is a creep for giving his granddaughter a normal hug.

[emailking]

I think she said that in an interview in 2018. I think she said he told her Melania has her own room.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Yeah, he TOTALLY cared about Melania's feelings.

https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1787864173356917152

Republicans, it's not too late. You can still walk away from this vile jackwagon. You can still refuse to nominate him, or bail on the GOP if they do nominate him. But if you stand with him past the RNC and into the election, you're damning yourselves, just as thoroughly as you're trying to damn the country.