NY: Trump on Trial!

[brucejoel99]

Re: Juror 2

https://twitter.com/JSweetLI/status/1781697439474319557https://twitter.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1781706173072265639

[emailking]

From the way he worded it, I wonder if he meant he follows the X account that just regurgitates everything Trump posts on TS so you can see it all without going to TS.

In any case, he seems to be a mixed bag at worst. Might also be the closest to one of Trump's "peers" which is a good thing in that Trump is entitled to a jury representative of Manhattan.

[brucejoel99]

https://twitter.com/rollingstone/status/1781684746340196358

[emailking]

Aww, poor Donny.

[Landslide Lyndon]

That's what Maggie gets for being his most loyal stenographer a decade now.

[emailking]

Michael Avenatti says he’s talking to Trump’s legal team — and would testify for the ex-prez

Disgraced Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti has been in contact with former President Trump’s legal defense team and is ready and willing to testify against his former client, he told The Post in an interview from jail.

“The defense has contacted me,” Avenatti told The Post in a phone call from Terminal Island, a minimum-security federal prison in Los Angeles where he is currently serving a 19-year sentence for extortion, tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement and other federal crimes.

“I’d be more than happy to testify, I don’t know that I will be called to testify, but I have been in touch with Trump’s defense for the better part of year,” Avenatti said.

While Avenatti made his name as one of Trump’s most ferocious critics — and even publicly called for Trump’s indictment in 2018 — the defense attorney sang a different tune from the clink.

https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/us-news/michael-avenatti-says-hes-in-conversations-with-trump-legal-team/

[Pericles]

Michael Avenatti says he’s talking to Trump’s legal team — and would testify for the ex-prez

Disgraced Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti has been in contact with former President Trump’s legal defense team and is ready and willing to testify against his former client, he told The Post in an interview from jail.

“The defense has contacted me,” Avenatti told The Post in a phone call from Terminal Island, a minimum-security federal prison in Los Angeles where he is currently serving a 19-year sentence for extortion, tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement and other federal crimes.

“I’d be more than happy to testify, I don’t know that I will be called to testify, but I have been in touch with Trump’s defense for the better part of year,” Avenatti said.

While Avenatti made his name as one of Trump’s most ferocious critics — and even publicly called for Trump’s indictment in 2018 — the defense attorney sang a different tune from the clink.

https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/us-news/michael-avenatti-says-hes-in-conversations-with-trump-legal-team/

That would appear to cut against their planned strategy of attacking Cohen's credibility.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Michael Avenatti says he’s talking to Trump’s legal team — and would testify for the ex-prez

Disgraced Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti has been in contact with former President Trump’s legal defense team and is ready and willing to testify against his former client, he told The Post in an interview from jail.

“The defense has contacted me,” Avenatti told The Post in a phone call from Terminal Island, a minimum-security federal prison in Los Angeles where he is currently serving a 19-year sentence for extortion, tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement and other federal crimes.

“I’d be more than happy to testify, I don’t know that I will be called to testify, but I have been in touch with Trump’s defense for the better part of year,” Avenatti said.

While Avenatti made his name as one of Trump’s most ferocious critics — and even publicly called for Trump’s indictment in 2018 — the defense attorney sang a different tune from the clink.

https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/us-news/michael-avenatti-says-hes-in-conversations-with-trump-legal-team/

That would appear to cut against their planned strategy of attacking Cohen's credibility.

Avenatti seems like a double agent, but for whom?

[Progressive Pessimist]

Michael Avenatti says he’s talking to Trump’s legal team — and would testify for the ex-prez

Disgraced Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti has been in contact with former President Trump’s legal defense team and is ready and willing to testify against his former client, he told The Post in an interview from jail.

“The defense has contacted me,” Avenatti told The Post in a phone call from Terminal Island, a minimum-security federal prison in Los Angeles where he is currently serving a 19-year sentence for extortion, tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement and other federal crimes.

“I’d be more than happy to testify, I don’t know that I will be called to testify, but I have been in touch with Trump’s defense for the better part of year,” Avenatti said.

While Avenatti made his name as one of Trump’s most ferocious critics — and even publicly called for Trump’s indictment in 2018 — the defense attorney sang a different tune from the clink.

https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/us-news/michael-avenatti-says-hes-in-conversations-with-trump-legal-team/

Hmmm...maybe criminals are more sympathetic to Trump.

[Holmes]

Michael Avenatti says he’s talking to Trump’s legal team — and would testify for the ex-prez

Disgraced Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti has been in contact with former President Trump’s legal defense team and is ready and willing to testify against his former client, he told The Post in an interview from jail.

“The defense has contacted me,” Avenatti told The Post in a phone call from Terminal Island, a minimum-security federal prison in Los Angeles where he is currently serving a 19-year sentence for extortion, tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement and other federal crimes.

“I’d be more than happy to testify, I don’t know that I will be called to testify, but I have been in touch with Trump’s defense for the better part of year,” Avenatti said.

While Avenatti made his name as one of Trump’s most ferocious critics — and even publicly called for Trump’s indictment in 2018 — the defense attorney sang a different tune from the clink.

https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/us-news/michael-avenatti-says-hes-in-conversations-with-trump-legal-team/

That would appear to cut against their planned strategy of attacking Cohen's credibility.

Avenatti seems like a double agent, but for whom?

He’s just hoping for a pardon in case Trump wins in November.

[brucejoel99]

Prosecution agreed to give defense the name of the first witness, for attorneys' eyes only, and if gets out ahead of time they won't extend the courtesy again.

https://twitter.com/maggienyt/status/1782060671246430340https://twitter.com/rgoodlaw/status/1782070223190815115

NYT scoop: "David Pecker...is set to go first" as prosecution witness: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/21/nyregion/trump-trial-hush-money-evidence.html Pecker could be key witness - in ways more devastating than Michael Cohen. This also indicates DA is foregrounding unlawful election influence for jurors. hat tip: @AWeissmann_

As this Timeline shows, Pecker's testimony should be strong proof of core allegation that the hush money scheme was geared toward influencing the outcome of the presidential election: https://www.justsecurity.org/85761/timeline-trump-hush-money-trial/

Pecker was principal at August 2015 Trump Tower meeting with Trump and Michael Cohen setting up catch-and-kill election operation. Great WSJ reporting: https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-played-central-role-in-hush-payoffs-to-stormy-daniels-and-karen-mcdougal-1541786601 "What can you do to help my campaign? he asked, according to people familiar with the meeting."

Here's the passage from the NY Indictment indicating the evidence the DA - including through Pecker's own testimony - can present re the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting, which set the whole scheme in motion: https://manhattanda.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023-04-04-SOF.pdf

Here's the "Statement of Admitted Facts" in David Pecker's AMI Company's Non-Prosecution Agreement (with the feds): https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/just-security-clearinghouse-american_media_inc_ami_non-prosecution_agreement-1.pdf They admit to key facts that are now a part of the Trump criminal prosecution.

Pecker will also likely testify about his involvement in flurry of phone calls, day after the Access Hollywood tape broke, to buy-and-bury Stormy Daniels' story. Note the call logs. (including reporting from great book, The Fixers by @joe_palazzolo @mrothfeld)

Pecker also likely to testify about his conversations directly with Trump and Cohen in December 2016 -  on the arrangement for Trump to reimburse Cohen for the hush money payment to Daniels.

David Pecker's likely dynamite evidence of nexus between hush money scheme and effort to influence election includes: "In the summer of 2017, the Defendant invited the AMI CEO to the White House for a dinner to thank him for his help during the campaign." (DA indictment doc)

[brucejoel99]

Prosecution agreed to give defense the name of the first witness, for attorneys' eyes only, and if gets out ahead of time they won't extend the courtesy again.

https://twitter.com/maggienyt/status/1782060671246430340
https://twitter.com/rgoodlaw/status/1782070223190815115

https://twitter.com/ruthbenghiat/status/1782082105465253902https://twitter.com/meiselasb/status/1782096888344592572

[emailking]

Is his post before or after the nytimes story broke?

[brucejoel99]

Is his post before or after the nytimes story broke?

After, the story had broken before 11am & he posted that at 1:13pm.

[President Johnson]

Michael Avenatti says he’s talking to Trump’s legal team — and would testify for the ex-prez

Disgraced Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti has been in contact with former President Trump’s legal defense team and is ready and willing to testify against his former client, he told The Post in an interview from jail.

“The defense has contacted me,” Avenatti told The Post in a phone call from Terminal Island, a minimum-security federal prison in Los Angeles where he is currently serving a 19-year sentence for extortion, tax evasion, fraud, embezzlement and other federal crimes.

“I’d be more than happy to testify, I don’t know that I will be called to testify, but I have been in touch with Trump’s defense for the better part of year,” Avenatti said.

While Avenatti made his name as one of Trump’s most ferocious critics — and even publicly called for Trump’s indictment in 2018 — the defense attorney sang a different tune from the clink.

https://nypost.com/2024/04/20/us-news/michael-avenatti-says-hes-in-conversations-with-trump-legal-team/

Remember when in 2018 this guy was talked as potential Democratic nominee in 2020?

[emailking]

My dad thinks Trump won't be acquitted.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

My dad thinks Trump won't be acquitted.

Huge difference between won’t be acquitted and will be convicted though.

[emailking]

Yep, he thinks it could hang.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Yep, he thinks it could hang.

That might not be as bad as an acquittal, but still an awful development.

Is your dad a legal professional?

[emailking]

Agreed, I'd like him to be convicted, short of some game changing evidence the defense has.

And nope, just an anecdote, lol.

[Pericles]

At the very least, this is making it harder for him to successfully fight his other three (so far) legal defences.

[politicallefty]

I think we should just see how the trial goes before making any assumptions as to what the jury will do.

[brucejoel99]

https://twitter.com/lawofruby/status/1782207370375950763

I'll be watching three legal stories unfold Monday: the real opening of the Manhattan DA's trial; the hearing on whether to cancel Trump's $175 million bond; & the public filing of witness statements in the MAL docs case.

But the thing I keep thinking about is who the first witness will be. And if I'm telling this story chronologically, the person I'd call first is this guy on the right, former American Media chairman David Pecker.

According to the Manhattan DA's statement of facts accompanying the indictment, the story begins with Trump's infamous ride down the elevator in June 2015, when he declared his candidacy for president.

But "soon after," in August 2015, Trump and Cohen met with Pecker, who offered to serve as the campaign's "eyes and ears" to help Trump—and hurt his rivals—through the National Enquirer's coverage.

That American Media made good on its promises is important, especially since it admitted to certain conduct through a non-prosecution agreement with DOJ in 2018 and this "conciliation agreement" with the Federal Election Commission in 2021.

But even more significant? Pecker can testify that Trump not only understood but heartily endorsed his publication's offer to "catch and kill" negative stories about him, especially as they pertained to Trump's alleged extramarital affairs.

And given how few people outside Michael Cohen directly communicated with Trump about the scheme at issue, Pecker's testimony could be critical in establishing Trump's intent and knowledge. FIN.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I think we should just see how the trial goes before making any assumptions as to what the jury will do.

Fair enough. We do need to see how both the defense and prosecution go about their cases.

I will say, I think Trump is doing himself a disservice by being so confrontational and judgmental of the jury. If they were unbiased about him before...somehow, he certainly isn't making himself more sympathetic.

[brucejoel99]

https://twitter.com/BradMossEsq/status/1782043006222168431https://twitter.com/AWeissmann_/status/1782162370644541889