NY - Former President Donald Trump charged with 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records, Apr 2023

[JennieM]

Trump lawyer hopes Tuesday’s court hearing will stay ‘painless and classy’​

'Joe Tacopina told CNN’s State of the Union show on Sunday that many of the particulars of the arraignment set for Tuesday were still “very much up in the air”.

It remained unclear Sunday even to Trump’s legal team exactly what he had been charged with – the state indictment that a Manhattan grand jury handed up against him three days earlier was still under a court seal. However, it appears he may face dozens of charges over his role in the payment of $130,000 to Daniels, who claims to have had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 that the ex-president denies.

At least one of the charges filed against Trump is a felony, reported the Associated Press, citing people familiar with the matter, which ostensibly increases the risk of prison time the former president might face if he is eventually convicted.

If Trump enters his plea as planned Tuesday, he is scheduled to be doing so in a courtroom where defendants accused of murder, attempted terrorism and illegal gun possession are set to appear as well.'

Trump lawyer hopes Tuesday’s court hearing will stay ‘painless and classy’

Joe Tacopina says former president plans to plead not guilty to charges stemming from hush money payments to Stormy Daniels

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

'Trump's Sunday morning announcement that he will address the public from his Mar-a-Lago club following his expected arraignment Tuesday raises fascinating questions about his liberty to speak about the case.

Some legal experts believe the judge in the case may consider issuing a gag order to lower the temperature around a trial that Trump has publicly denounced and a prosecutor, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who has been subjected to threats.

The prospect of limiting what an active candidate for president can say — at a time he is arguing that the prosecutor and Democrats seek to silence his political movement — is a thorny question for the bench.

There’s little question that Trump would figure out how to turn a gag order into political gold with his base, even if there are particular words he can’t utter. He is making that clear by announcing his intent to make a speech the day of the arraignment.So, once again, Trump is pushing democratic values into uncharted — unprecedented — territory.'

Trump indictment live updates: Trump to speak at Mar-a-Lago on day of expected arraignment

Donald Trump was indicted by a New York grand jury last week. Get the latest news and live updates on Trump’s indictment and expected arraignment this week.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[whatsupp]

Trump targeted: A look at probes involving the former president; from Stormy Daniels to Russia to Mar-a-Lago

Investigations are nothing new for former President Trump, whose administration, and post-presidency, have been plagued by probes into his family's business, his campaign and more.

www.foxnews.com

Trump's presidency was clouded by investigations — several probed whether he colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election, some focused on his finances, and others led to impeachment, making him the first president in United States history to have been impeached twice.

Trump’s post-presidential life is reminiscent of his days in the Oval Office, marred by probes which the former president and his allies say are all just part of an effort by his political opponents to derail his 2024 presidential campaign.

 

[JennieM]

Trump targeted: A look at probes involving the former president; from Stormy Daniels to Russia to Mar-a-Lago

Investigations are nothing new for former President Trump, whose administration, and post-presidency, have been plagued by probes into his family's business, his campaign and more.

www.foxnews.com

Trump's presidency was clouded by investigations — several probed whether he colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election, some focused on his finances, and others led to impeachment, making him the first president in United States history to have been impeached twice.

Trump’s post-presidential life is reminiscent of his days in the Oval Office, marred by probes which the former president and his allies say are all just part of an effort by his political opponents to derail his 2024 presidential campaign.

His presidency was clouded by investigations and marred by probes because he clouded and marred democracy.

 

[Emma Peel]

If they were tied to his income tax return they wouldn’t be in state court.

NY has state income taxes, tax returns, tax code, tax here tax there everywhere a tax tax, don't get me started.

 

[JennieM]

New York Young Republican Club planning rally Tuesday with MTG​

Trump indictment live updates: Trump to speak at Mar-a-Lago on day of expected arraignment

Donald Trump was indicted by a New York grand jury last week. Get the latest news and live updates on Trump’s indictment and expected arraignment this week.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[10ofRods]

What felonies?

The two felonies to which Cohen pleaded guilty. The article is saying that the person (Individual-1, aka DT) who directed the crime is guilty of the same campaign finance violation that Cohen was guilty of, under Federal Campaign Law.

If Cohen is guilty, then his employer has to be guilty, is how that article frames the argument. One would suspect that those two charges would be among the charges that are supposed to be filed on Tuesday.

It's confusing, because headline kind of makes it sound like the charges were already made.

IMO.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Bill Barr Tells Fox News Donald Trump Should Not Testify Because ‘He Lacks All Self Control’

The former attorney general said Trump's unwillingness to stick to talking points could prove dangerous in a criminal case. “It’d be very difficult to prepare him and keep him testifying in a prudent fashion.”

www.forbes.com

Bill Barr Tells Fox News Donald Trump Should Not Testify Because ‘He Lacks All Self Control’​

 

[10ofRods]

If they were tied to his income tax return they wouldn’t be in state court.

Alec Murdaugh's financial/tax issues are being tried first in state court. Nearly all states have income tax (I think they all do).

I've wondered why Murdaugh's state tax charges are the only ones charged (since the state taxes are usually based off the federal return), but I am not a tax accountant or attorney. I figure it's because it's cheaper for the feds to come in after there's already a conviction at the state level.

That's just a guess. IMO.

 

[JennieM]

Former Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance warns Trump could face further legal trouble if he threatens judicial system​

'Former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., who began the investigation that led to Donald Trump's indictment, condemned the former president's attacks against his successor on Sunday and warned that another criminal offense could "change the jury's mind about the severity of the case." [...] Trump could face further legal backlash if he continues to wage attacks against Bragg and the judicial system, which he says could sway the jury in the case.'

Former Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance warns Trump could face further legal trouble if he threatens judicial system

Cyrus Vance Jr. said on “Meet the Press” he was "disturbed" to hear Trump's recent attacks on the Manhattan DA's office.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

DeSantis rips Manhattan DA Bragg's 'flimsy' Trump indictment in New York speech: Agenda 'not the rule of law'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a speech on New York's Long Island Saturday ripped Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg "flimsy" indictment of former President Donald Trump.

www.foxnews.com

"This guy is all about politics. He comes in, his whole thing is he doesn't want people to be in jail. He wants to downgrade felonies to misdemeanors. Really, really dangerous stuff," DeSantis said of Bragg's now-infamous day-one soft on crime memo issued when he took office in January 2022. "And then what does he do? He turns around, does a flimsy indictment against a former President of the United States based on a bunch of things that they're saying business records, which, first of all, even if that's true, that's a misdemeanor."

 

[whatsupp]

Glenn Greenwald: Here's why the left wants to criminalize the Trump movement | Fox News Video

Glenn Greenwald joins ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ to elaborate on how partisan prosecutors are doing everything in their power to destroy enemies of the Biden administration and the Donald Trump movement.

www.foxnews.com

Journalist Glenn Greenwald joined Tucker Carlson to elaborate on how partisan prosecutors are doing everything in their power to destroy enemies of the Biden administration and the Donald Trump movement.

Greenwald said the left wants to "criminalize" the Trump movement because he is the only candidate that could disrupt pro-war establishment wings in both major political parties.

 

[tara83]

Glenn Greenwald: Here's why the left wants to criminalize the Trump movement | Fox News Video

Glenn Greenwald joins ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ to elaborate on how partisan prosecutors are doing everything in their power to destroy enemies of the Biden administration and the Donald Trump movement.

www.foxnews.com

Journalist Glenn Greenwald joined Tucker Carlson to elaborate on how partisan prosecutors are doing everything in their power to destroy enemies of the Biden administration and the Donald Trump movement.

Greenwald said the left wants to "criminalize" the Trump movement because he is the only candidate that could disrupt pro-war establishment wings in both major political parties.

Tucker is sure an unbiased observer about this,lol.

 

[whatsupp]

Tucker is sure an unbiased observer about this,lol.

Glenn Greenwald sure is!

 

[RANCH]

If the judge issues a gag order against President Trump wouldn't that be election interference since his running for president? I think so.

Anyone running against him could bring up the charges against him and he wouldn't be allowed to respond. Definitely unfair. JMO.

 

[RANCH]

Trump lawyer says he expects to make motion to dismiss charges from Manhattan grand jury indictment

Former President Donald Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina told CNN Sunday that he's expecting to file a motion to dismiss the charges from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's probe.

www.foxnews.com

"And you have a situation where, you know, the federal government, the Department of Justice, turned this matter down," Tacopina continued on CNN's "State of the Union." "The FEC, which governs federal election laws, said there's no violation here. Yet somehow a state prosecutor has taken a misdemeanor and tried cobble together to make it a felony by alleging a violation of federal campaign violations. And the FEC said that doesn't exist."

 

[Ontario Mom]

If the judge issues a gag order against President Trump wouldn't that be election interference since his running for president? I think so.

Anyone running against him could bring up the charges against him and he wouldn't be allowed to respond. Definitely unfair. JMO.

The whole thing is like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

It's happening, we can all see it happening, we all know it'll be a disaster in so many ways and yet... it's still happening, and all we (regular folks, citizens, voters, folks that just want some truth, sanity & common sense back in society) can do is... watch it all happen.

jmo

 

[GRT]

Trump will plea...or get used to orange. 2 Cents

Only 2% of federal criminal defendants go to trial, and most who do are found guilty​

Only 2% of federal criminal defendants went to trial in 2018, and most who did were found guilty

Trials are rare in the federal criminal justice system: Just 2% of criminal defendants went to trial in fiscal 2018. Acquittals are even rarer.

www.pewresearch.org

I would be astonished if either of those options happened.

But, I say that only based on the idea that Trump's charges will relate to the hush money payoff, the election finance violation, or business reports violations.

If there are more severe charges we don't know about--all bets are off.

Right now, what we (think) he's being charged with is typically handled by imposing fines. Many candidates violate finance laws and the FEC opts to issue fines.

In this case, Cohen pleaded guilty to a felony campaign finance violation. That sounds important, but the FEC did not see it the same way. See the letter from the FEC I posted earlier.

Routinely, defendants are asked to plead to charges a prosecutor could never convict them of in court. For example, my son's friend was driving way too fast when he was 18, and he was charged with reckless driving. His attorney pled it down to "faulty muffler." There was nothing wrong with the car's muffler, but they chose to do that. Cohen's plea won't (shouldn't, IMO) hold a lot of water. Especially since his attorney sent a letter to the FEC saying Cohen was never reimbursed by Trump. (I posted a link to that earlier as well.)

So, who knows?

Personally, and this is just MOO, I think they'll either drop the charges or--if it goes to trial--Trump might be convicted of one of the lesser charges. Either way, donations to his campaign are way up, which is probably understandable since Americans don't like what they feel are witch hunts.

But, again, if there are charges beyond what we're speculating here, the whole scenario could change. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

DeSantis rips Manhattan DA Bragg's 'flimsy' Trump indictment in New York speech: Agenda 'not the rule of law'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a speech on New York's Long Island Saturday ripped Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg "flimsy" indictment of former President Donald Trump.

www.foxnews.com

"This guy is all about politics. He comes in, his whole thing is he doesn't want people to be in jail. He wants to downgrade felonies to misdemeanors. Really, really dangerous stuff," DeSantis said of Bragg's now-infamous day-one soft on crime memo issued when he took office in January 2022. "And then what does he do? He turns around, does a flimsy indictment against a former President of the United States based on a bunch of things that they're saying business records, which, first of all, even if that's true, that's a misdemeanor."

Even if only misdemeanors, Trump should get away with them, because?

 

[tara83]

I would be astonished if either of those options happened.

But, I say that only based on the idea that Trump's charges will relate to the hush money payoff, the election finance violation, or business reports violations.

If there are more severe charges we don't know about--all bets are off.

Right now, what we (think) he's being charged with is typically handled by imposing fines. Many candidates violate finance laws and the FEC opts to issue fines.

In this case, Cohen pleaded guilty to a felony campaign finance violation. That sounds important, but the FEC did not see it the same way. See the letter from the FEC I posted earlier.

Routinely, defendants are asked to plead to charges a prosecutor could never convict them of in court. For example, my son's friend was driving way too fast when he was 18, and he was charged with reckless driving. His attorney pled it down to "faulty muffler." There was nothing wrong with the car's muffler, but they chose to do that. Cohen's plea won't (shouldn't, IMO) hold a lot of water. Especially since his attorney sent a letter to the FEC saying Cohen was never reimbursed by Trump. (I posted a link to that earlier as well.)

So, who knows?

Personally, and this is just MOO, I think they'll either drop the charges or--if it goes to trial--Trump might be convicted of one of the lesser charges. Either way, donations to his campaign are way up, which is probably understandable since Americans don't like what they feel are witch hunts.

But, again, if there are charges beyond what we're speculating here, the whole scenario could change. We'll just have to wait and see.

LOL at Witch hunt.Nothing about this points to that.