The NYT reports, even linking to the page where you can buy the shirt and contribute to the campaign.
I clicked through to that page, and I see that it says "Paid for by WinRed. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. WinRed.com." It's not clear to me who made the shirt.
Anyway, feel free to use this post to talk about the 34 felony counts, Trump's appearance at the courthouse, and Bragg's press conference.
A good summary from the NYT: "The district attorney says that for nine straight months, Trump held documents in his hand containing a key lie: that he was paying Michael D. Cohen for legal services, rather than reimbursing him. Cohen paid hush money to Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election so that she would not tell her story of an earlier tryst with Trump."
Posts
127 comments:
I skimmed the 34 counts in the indictment. They all reference actions in 2017. If there is a 2 year statute of limitations, then the indictment must be dismissed. No allegations of tolling. I didn't see anything about federal law violations.
I'm probably missing something as I'm not a NY criminal lawyer, but this doesn't look right to me.
Isn’t that part of the charges, conflating anything pro-Trump as part as his official campaign. The NDA was standard business, but nope, it was his campaign! WinRed is a GOP PAC, but nope, it is his campaign. What has me flummoxed is how the NYT’s participation in RussiaGate wasn’t an in-kind donation to the Hillary Campaign?
Does the exclamation point after your question mark indicate astonishment, anger, or something else?
The New York Post did the same story. Or was it the same story? Is it a substantially similar shirt, being flogged by the Trump Campaign as well as WinRed? Is WinRed essentially an arm of the Trump Campaign?
Here you go, Althouse; the NY Post link.
§ 175.10. Falsifying business records in the first degree
"A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree when he commits the crime of falsifying business records in the second degree, and when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof.
Falsifying business records in the first degree is a class E felony."
But there's NO allegation of another crime, namely, federal election law. I think that should have been set out in the indictment.
The criminal law is strictly construed in favor of the accused.
Case dismissed.
/s/
David D. Begley
Judge of the NY Supreme Judicial Court, Creighton alum and Master of the Universe
Section 175.10 "when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof."
What's the other crime? Clearly the defendant is entitled to notice of what other crime the State of NY thinks he committed. This is first year law school stuff.
Was it the "crime" of "grooming?"
Was it federal election law? What federal election law? There's lots of them!
I'd dismiss the case.
I mean, why shouldn't Trump fundraise over an obviously political prosecution that has no basis in law? If the DA and the media is not going to take this seriously, then why should the defendant? I mean, years ago, pre-Clinton and perhaps pre-Kennedy, the fact that Trump was cheating on his wife by banging porn stars and then covering it up would have been a career killer. Arguably, it should still be a career killer, but that ship has sailed. The no-shame crowd cannot expect anyone to take their demands of shame seriously, and the crowd that does find it shameful also finds the no-shame crowd to be hypocritical, bad faith jerks.
Yes, technically, the fundraising is not by Trump directly, at least not in this case, but I'm sure it has his blessing.
As a non-lawyer I'll point out two anomalous facts that stood out to me. They claim these alleged false records were fraud but their are no victims of this fraud, and every crime alleged by Bragg relies on the jury believing Michael Cohen, assuming this shitshow ever makes it before a jury. Which I doubt it will. This is obviously just the Left's opening maneuver for Get Trump Volume 3++ meant to distract him while the special prosecutor and other municipalities play tag team.
"Trump held documents in his hand containing a key lie"
Has a more trivial indictment ever been filed?
Isn't the indictment itself, as the pretended prosecution of a "crime," a much bigger and more consequential lie?
"Alleged early tryst."
JKLOL, It's the New York Times.
I wonder if Alvin Beria has Nothing Fries to go with that Nothingburger?
Is the juice worth the squeeze?
Looks like US and NY benefited from the lie since the payments to Cohen were grossed up to cover the tax obligation from treating then as income instead of expense reimbursement. I don't know ow how Stormy was treating payment from Cohen. A gift?
Here's the law he is accused of breaking:
175.10 Falsifying business records in the first degree
A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the first degree when he commits the crime of falsifying business records in the second degree, and when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof.
Falsifying business records in the first degree is a class E felony.
https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/penal-law/pen-sect-175-10.html
And what is 2nd degree falsification you may ask?
175.05 Falsifying business records in the second degree
A person is guilty of falsifying business records in the second degree when, with intent to defraud, he:
1. Makes or causes a false entry in the business records of an enterprise; or
2. Alters, erases, obliterates, deletes, removes or destroys a true entry in the business records of an enterprise; or
3. Omits to make a true entry in the business records of an enterprise in violation of a duty to do so which he knows to be imposed upon him by law or by the nature of his position; or
4. Prevents the making of a true entry or causes the omission thereof in the business records of an enterprise.
Falsifying business records in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.
Emphasis added
John Henry
The indictment is pretty vague. All the counts are along the line of
SECOND COUNT:
AND THE GRAND JURY AFORESAID, by this indictment, further accuses the
defendant of the crime of FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IN THE FIRST DEGREE,
in violation of Penal Law §175.10, committed as follows:
The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 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 entry in
the Detail General Ledger for the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, bearing voucher number
842457, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organization.
Nothing about who he attempted to defraud. How calling a payment to a lawyer a legal fee (apparently) is fraudulent, what other crime it was intended to hide etc.
I feel like I know less after reading the indictment than before.
John Henry
A good summary from the NYT: "The district attorney says that for nine straight months, Trump held documents in his hand containing a key lie: that he was paying Michael D. Cohen for legal services, rather than reimbursing him. Cohen paid hush money to Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election so that she would not tell her story of an earlier tryst with Trump."
I suppose I'm obtuse. Did Cohen break down the bill to show that x amount was for payment to Daniels and x amount was for legal fees or was it just one total that stated it was for legal fees? Was this document from Cohen or something Trump is alleged to have created? If it's from Cohen and he said it was legal fees, how is it not?
Maybe I watch too many dramas, but in my mind I see a kind of shady, but also kind of charismatic, character asking his lawyer what it will cost to make the problem go away. The lawyer names an amount. Maybe he intends to keep some of it, maybe he plans on keeping all of it, it doesn't matter because the problem (theoretically) goes away. Not in this case, though, so I'd say Trump got scammed. At least he wasn't told to convert it all into crypto first.
(You don't have to be shady to want to delegate something to someone who presents themself as being able to handle the problem, but characters that are a little ambiguous are more interesting.)
Bragging rights.
"and when his intent to defraud includes an intent to commit another crime or to aid or conceal the commission thereof." How exactly is this proven? If the the claim is that he falsified the records to conceal the commission of a crime wouldn't the crime have to be proven? If Trump hasn't been charged and convicted of the crime he's accused of concealing isn't it a built in defense that he's innocent until proven guilty so as it stands there is nothing to conceal. And given the myriad of other reasons Trump would have to hide an affair (avoiding divorce, for one) it seems intent would be awfully hard to prove.
Dems are already starting to walk back from this clown-orgy of a prosecution.
Not naming the underlying crime really puts a Kafkaesque touch on the proceedings.
This is an obvious case of "stacked charges" where each time he signed a document it was a felony, even if they were all the same document. The judge's daughter is a member of the Biden junta. No chance of change of venue. They really want to put him in Epstein's cell and turn out the lights.
Dave Begley: "I'm probably missing something as I'm not a NY criminal lawyer, but this doesn't look right to me."
Nope. You aren't missing anything. It says "Donald J. Trump" right on the document and that's all that will be needed.
In fact, Bragg could have released a single sheet of paper with Trump's name on it and nothing else and it would have been more than sufficient for the prosecution of Trump in New York City.
Static Ping: "I mean, why shouldn't Trump fundraise over an obviously political prosecution that has no basis in law?"
No no no! According to the GOPe brain trust at Althouse blog this entire indictment is nothing more than another "grift" by Trump. They were proclaiming it just a week ago on this very blog.
Sooooooo ... Hillary Clinton having been found to have paid for the Steele Dossier, and writing that off as a legal expense, I'm sure we'll see her soon before the dock.
Right?
Right?
Well, no matter. Once Donald Trump becomes President, he can declare the Democrat Party a terrorist organization and Hillary Clinton a clear and present danger to the Democracy of the United States and just ship her off to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to spend the rest of her life with her husband Bill Clinton.
Payback is a motherfker and you're going to see a LOT of Democrats disappeared in the very near future.
There is no point arguing the law.
This isn't about the law.
This "judge" and any future "jury" will see to that.
This is a pure power play to send a message from the democraticals/GOPe powers that be that no one will ever be allowed to challenge our "rulers" again.
Trump’s lawyer, Joe T., was just on Fox and said essentially the same thing I did.
But apparently he can get a Bill of Particulars and it will identify the other statute. Still, I think it has to be dismissed as state courts have NO jurisdiction over federal election law violations.
I watched Bragg's press conference. What a pathetic mediocrity. This is a blatant political prosecution. As has been the case so often, the Democrats are falling into the trap they set (cf. the book of Esther).
So THOSE were the documents we always saw Trump walking around holding.
Guinness must have a record of some kind for holding a document in your hand for 9 straight months.
I say we give him the record.
Bwahahahaha, Trump is a criminal and a grifter. His followers are astonishly ignorant, they deserve to have a cult leader who holds them in contempt.
“ Waaaaaaaah, I’m being held accountable for breaking the law. What an outrage!!!! Now send me $$$$$”
MAGAts are the thickest rubes that ever walked the earth.
These charges are so bad that even Mitt Romney had to come out today and pretend to oppose them.
DeSantis has got to be wondering just what the heck he's gotten into with these GOPe-er/democratical operatives that were supposed to clear Trump from the field for him.
JFC, how many different subjects will David Begley pretend to know absolutely everything about today? It's got to be near a half dozen already.
What a blowhard.
For the first time, I am ashamed to be American.
I sure hope Dick will read the indictment and give us the benefit of his keen legal mind.
John Henry
How's that waitress sandwich tasting Sen. Dodd?
I suspect that pretty much every political entity, left and right, is raising money off the Trump charges.
I've heard 2 tolling theories for Trump. While he was president. That seems to work better for a federal offense. While he was out of NY. That tolls a lot if it applies.
Poor Alvin Bragg. He thinks paying money to suppress a story that might hurt a campaign is a crime. Does he also believe that paying someone to create a story out of whole cloth to target your opponent's campaign is also a crime? And laundering said hoax dollars through your lawyer makes it ok? When will he indict Hillary Clinton? The FEC already fined her for that money laundering.
If Braggy really believed suppressing stories is a crime, he'd have to indict the NYT and the alphabet networks for not covering the Hunter Biden laptop story.
I can't wait for Braggy to breakdown and cry when his translucent indictment is laughed out of court as frivolous. Please pay DJT all court expenses plus $10M.
Dave Bagley,
Bragg answered the question in the presser. He said NY law does not require he name the crime. I have heard another lawyer state a notice of particulars must be filed in 15 days, but the judge could allow an extension.
But. Bragg keeps citing campaign finance laws. But no charges citing campaign finance law have occurred. Payment in exchange for an NDA is standard procedure.
Bragg is arguing from the conclusion. There has been no violation of campaign finance law.
"The district attorney says that for nine straight months, Trump held documents in his hand containing a key lie:..."
Boy, those docs must have gotten awful sweaty. What with Trump golfing fairly regularly and all.
In other news, DA Alvin Bragg has warned Marjorie Taylor Green that violence is not allowed in NYC. I think he needs to check with his office on that.
Readering: I don't know ow how Stormy was treating payment from Cohen. A gift?
Payment for services not rendered.
The indictment is a joke. A competent judge would dismiss this case at the first hearing. Unfortunately, there are apparently no competent judges left in NY State.
Before next meeting on December 4th, Fani and Jack will lay out the real hardcore charges. Criminals are charged all the time with these type of charges, trump aint seen nothing yet This guy would never be president again, women and Independant's and old school Republicans wont touch him with a stick.(Problem is they'll be forced to vote for him again and continue to lose) It's all about the grift. T SHIRTS c'mon man! This is what the honorable position of the presidency has wrought after 2.5 centuries? This guy has been a fraud since birth, he is the head of a now documented criminal ORGANIZATION, the month of April Hes up for a rape case where he must testify, DOMINION suit tearing FOX a new ass over lying for him,3 other cases on the cusp of indictments and that's only April. And what the hell is being done about Immigration, the border, Inflation Republicans talked about during mid-terms? This fella lost 2018.2020 and 2022 and its just getting worse. Republican nominee. If the right wing don't ban all books with their culture war crapola this story and pictures will be in my grandkids books like we read about Benedict Arnold, Patrick Henry etc. TRUMP has now put us on par with criminal indicted leaders in Israel,France,Italy etc another 1st! A stain on America.
I think Trump is hoping to get his message into school libraries in NY.
What Braggy doesn't mention in indictment is the second crime. A confidential source tells me that it's "mopery and dopery in the space ways." This is a very serious crime, punishable by a 1,000 lashes with a wet noodle.
Braggy has his man! Trump is toast! The walls are closing in! And we mean it this time!
The best thing to do would be to find out how Alvin Bragg pays off his ladies. We may be sure they exist and are being paid off. And it won't be with his money either.
This is the most pitiful charging document I've ever read. Did a Stanford law student prepare it? Where is the cite to the criminal code that sets out the crime he was attempting to cover up. What evidence is there of that crime and when was he charged with it.
Seen online:
“Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime — but I won’t tell you what it is!”
How is it illegal to pay “hush money” to someone for something that isn’t illegal?
I thought the violation(s) had to do with federal election finance laws. Using campaign funds to pay the hush money.
I don't understand why money used to settle a legal matter is not a legal expense. If a customer trips over a mop in my store and threatens to sue, I call my attorney. If my attorney gets the client to accept a settlement and sign an agreement not to sue me, I assume I am going to pay my attorney for their time AND reimburse them for the amount of the settlement. Clearly the attorney's time is a legal expense, but isn't resolving a conflict in order to avoid being sued also a legal expense? If I write the check directly to the customer instead of reimbursing my attorney, isn't it still a legal expense? In what way am I guilty of even a misdemeanor, much less a felony? I have a legal problem and I use my resources to resolve the problem, so my expenses are legal expenses.
Is the argument that this is a private matter, not a business matter, so it should not be listed as a business expense? I just don't see how this is falsifying business records, or who is being defrauded.
Former Trump lawyer Ty Cobb was on CNN and he said Special Counsel Jack Smith is an F-14 aimed at Trump.
What am ungrateful low life.
fuck it, go after JFK's legacy
Yeah, he got us to the moon. He used Nazis.
Tomcc: "I thought the violation(s) had to do with federal election finance laws. Using campaign funds to pay the hush money."
Dude that was yesterday! It can be whatever the democraticals/LLR-democraticals want it to be each and every day.
Weak sauce as suspected.
Every commie NYT employee deserves to suffer slowly on earth before they burn in hell forever.
Every commie NYT reader deserves to suffer slowly on earth before they burn in hell forever.
That applies to you, Outhouse.
Our advice, Outhouse?
You lay back and enjoy your abortion, fetus.
Darktheknight should be given his walking papers. Half-witted lowlife. On the other hand, he does make the rest of us look quite civil and decent...
The evidence is underwhelming. Therefore, I believe that Trump's boat will remain float (cf. etymology of "whelm").
Some of those counts cite Trump revokable trust. That's a financial instrument to get around probate. We have one for the same reason. A revokable trust is a personal asset. So he paid money from his personal account to pay Stormy, so what? How is that a business expense?
I don't think the prosecutors even hope to convict. Why use charges with an expired "sell-by" date? Are the Soros minions that stupid? Perhaps we overestimate the abilities our adversaries.
I am so tired of all of this Trump drama. At some point can't we, as conservatives, just move on to enact all of the really important issues that we all agree on? Minus all the Trump drama queen posts here?
Dave B,
Nothing to worry about then.
The last f-14 was built 32 years ago, retired in us service 17 years ago. Only iran still has any in service. Allegedly. There is some doubt about their airworthiness since they've not been able to buy spare parts since 1979.
John Henry
Who knew Trump was a CPA and did his own corporate books.
I am so tired of all of this Trump drama. At some point can't we, as conservatives, just move on to enact all of the really important issues that we all agree on? Minus all the Trump drama queen posts here?
No, because a) the next guy will get the same treatment, and b) large portions of the GOP leadership want not just Trump gone, but everything he represents, including policies.
Trump drama is bulwark drama. He’s joining the fight for us, us Americans who just want to live our lives with peace and whatever prosperity we can muster. No sex education whackadoos, no new wars, no invasion on the border, no climate change boondoggle, etc. He’s our stand-in and he needs us to support him. It’s that simple.
I don't know that the judge will reflexively rule against Trump's motions. He may be biased against him, but he also knows that the prosecutor has to give him something. And the prosecutor didn't.
"I am so tired of all of this Trump drama. At some point can't we, as conservatives, just move on to enact all of the really important issues that we all agree on? Minus all the Trump drama queen posts here?"
"We as conservatives"? LOL. Great satire! I can see Bill Kristol, Charlie Sykes or Jen Rubin saying this. Yeah, why can't *we* "Life Long republicans" just move on and talk about cutting the capital gains tax or Amnesty for illegals?
Hahahaha.
So how ironic, Trump gets charged for paying Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep her mouth shut. Stormy now owes Trump $300,000 in legal fees for opening her mouth.
Has anyone explained why it took the NY DA 5 years to indict Trump?
There's no crime in making documents full of lies if all they are doing is just sitting in your file cabinet.
And that's all the indictment charges.
This guy has been a fraud since birth, he is the head of a now documented criminal ORGANIZATION, the month of April Hes up for a rape case where he must testify, DOMINION suit tearing FOX a new ass over lying for him,3 other cases on the cusp of indictments and that's only April. And what the hell is being done about Immigration, the border, Inflation Republicans talked about during mid-terms?
Dinky spews the Democrat line.
And what the hell is being done about Immigration, the border, Inflation Republicans talked about during mid-terms?
The Democrats are in power, you idiot. You voted for them. Lie back and enjoy it.
Trial set to start January 2024. This totally not a political prosecution!
Actions in 2017 meant to defraud the public of knowledge that could influence an election already months in the rear view mirror?
"I see that it says "Paid for by WinRed. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. WinRed.com." It's not clear to me who made the shirt."
Since it is not clear, the maker of the shirt made an undocumented campaign contribution to the Trump Campaign. He is guilty of thousands of felonies, depending on who looked at the web site.
Braggy's next target will be the tooth fairy for illegal business practices.
DINKY DAU 45 said... “This guy has been a fraud since birth”
You’re quite the transphobe. Babies have the right to choose their gender. And just because Trump chose the gender that matched his genitalia doesn’t mean that you have the right to criticize him for it. Get woke or leave the Democratic Party immediately.
I always advise my clients that as soon as the judge is appointed they should find out as much as they can about the judge's family and then publicly attack them. Terrific legal strategy.
You guys are missing the point by arguing the law. Get the right DA, the right judge and the right venue and he’s guilty. That’s why the Democrats love stuff like this so much.
If they wouldn't have prosecuted Trump they might've been able to split the Republican party. Not now.
Trump can run on:
Energy independence
Rebuild manufacturing
Close the border
"and justice for all."
Are the walls closing in yet?
Asking for a friend...
on the matter of tolling etc. for statute of limitations :
was it not possible for DA to convene grand jury long time ago [since it is secret anyway]
and have ready on 1/6/2021 >>>
A true bill
[is a decision by a grand jury that the prosecution has shown enough evidence to indict a criminal defendant for a serious crime1234. The grand jury writes "a true bill" on the bill of indictment and signs it]
rcocean said...
Has anyone explained why it took the NY DA 5 years to indict Trump?
Michael Cohen pleaded guilty in August of 2018, with Trump as "Individual 1."
For the next two and a half years, Trump remained in office as President. And by many accounts, could not be prosecuted. For at least a year of that time, and then beyond, the Manhattan DA ongoing investigation was shut down on orders from Trump's Department of Justice. That, per former DA Cyrus Vance Jr.
Since Alvin Bragg was elected Manhattan DA, a number of commentators have remarked that the office's work in prosecuting Trump's accountant and the Trump Organization uncovered new evidence to warrant reopening the Donald Trump criminal investigation.
News flash: if there is a statute of limitations defense, or if there has been a delay in filing which amounts to prosecutorial abuse, Trump's lawyers will have ample opportunity to make that case, and to appeal if they are dissatisfied with any ruling by the trial court.
lonejustice: "I am so tired of all of this Trump drama. At some point can't we, as conservatives, just move on to enact all of the really important issues that we all agree on? Minus all the Trump drama queen posts here?"
Your time would be better spent admitting you were wrong when you lied about Trump falsely claiming he was going to be indicted just to run a fundraising grift. Remember when you did that?
But you wont do that, will you?
So who do you think you are fooling? You dont want any of the Trump policies.
Just surrender and vote democrat already and leave your pathetic anti-drama pleas in the dustbin where they belong.
"his height on the chart behind him appears to tip past 6 feet 5 inches. (In 2016, his doctor listed him as 6 feet 3 inches.)""
--
These days, any proper zir wears heels.
What Breezy said. I liked peace and prosperity and nearly secure boarders.
What happened? Why can't we have those things?
"The district attorney says that for nine straight months, Trump held documents in his hand containing a key lie: that he was paying Michael D. Cohen for legal services, rather than reimbursing him.
If you pay a lawyer- it's legal fees. Whether you're reimbursing the lawyer for hours, lunch and dinner, for lunch, or paying off a whore committing blackmail.
LAst I checked, laywers submit a bill- you pay it. When I've closed on houses, I heven't gotten an itemized bill from the lawyer as to what was reimbursement and what for for hours.
Blogger Rusty said…” I liked peace and prosperity and nearly secure boarders.
What happened? Why can't we have those things?”
Quit sounding so ancient Roman. Embrace modern times; America is like Rome.
If it is illegal for a politician to pay off a mistress Washington DC should be trembling.
I am so tired of all of this Trump drama.
You people are not looking at the big picture.
Dems and the GOPe will attack who ever tries to Run for President on the Trump agenda.
The Trump drama is all invented by the DC power elites. They are non denominational. They're intent is to stop Trump from upsetting their rice bowl, and then putting is head on a pike to warn any other outsider from attempting anything not approved. No sane person would now run for President, knowing DC will run them through the exact same gauntlet.
So yet another lie from the Trump team. When will this ever end? But they did get the perp's fingerprints. Fake prints colored orange will likely be on sale tomorrow.
This is not about prosecuting Trump. This is about DeSantis and stopping DeSantis from winning the primary.
Yes, we have finally become whatever the woke way of saying "banana republic," but I'm struck by how much stronger hate is than other emotions. The passion that's going into taking Trump down and crushing him is far stronger and more enduring than other political emotions are.
I always advise my clients that as soon as the judge is appointed they should find out as much as they can about the judge's family and then publicly attack them. Terrific legal strategy.
Yeah, why don't you get back to me when he leads a protest outside the judge's home.
Donald Trump turned me into a newt!
(I got better...)
I always advise my clients that as soon as the judge is appointed they should find out as much as they can about the judge's family and then publicly attack them. Terrific legal strategy.
Are the judge's family members actively working for your client's political opponent, asshole?
Ahh, but the strawberries! That's - that's where I had Trump. He laughed at me and made jokes, but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt and with - geometric logic - that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox DID exist! And I'll PRODUCE that key during the trial...
Once again, Trump is ahead of them. And it was meant to send a strong message to voters struggling to pay bills. Get richer with me, or stay poor with them.
https://nypost.com/2023/04/04/trumps-boeing-747-got-a-makeover-before-indictment-hearing/
Worth every penny
the democrats have the media industrial complex(D-corrupt) to cover their crimes (see Hillary and Biden)
This corrupt DA said openly - and disgracefully that Trump had no right to run against Hillary . Banana Republic. The left are assholes.
He held documents in his hand for nine months? Why, I can definitively show there were times during that period when his hands were empty. Jeesh, what crappy writing by the NYTimes!
that he was paying Michael D. Cohen for legal services, rather than reimbursing him.
Reimbursements are a normal part of legal service billings.
Some of the lefty legal columnists in the MSM have taken notice of the weakness of this charge. I’m thinking specifically of Ruth Marcus of the Washington Post and Mark Stern of Slate. Of course, they can’t come out and say that Bragg screwed the pooch, but that’s their implication. Imagine handing down an indictment that omits a key element of the charge — in this case, the crime that Trump supposedly committed that he was concealing through accounting shenanigans. That’s what Bragg did, and in any kind of just world, the indictment would be dismissed for failure to state a charge, although probably with leave to replead.
Are they really arguing that the S of L doesn't run when the person to be charged is out of state?
That seems like an absolute legal and practical absurdity (BUT TRUMP!!).
Also I'm pretty sure that Trump has visited NY many, many times since 2018.
And I seem to recall that the US Supreme Court held (incorrectly, I believe) that the Paula Jones lawsuit against Clinton could proceed while he was President.
But rules don't apply when Emmanuel Goldstein is the target.
And now a word from El Salvadore President Nayib Bukele...
@nayibbukele
Sadly, it’ll be very hard for US Foreign Policy to use arguments such as “democracy” and “free and fair elections”, or try to condemn “political persecution” in other countries, from now on 🤷🏻♂️
Quote Tweet
Nayib Bukele
@nayibbukele
·
Mar 30
Imagine if this happened to a leading opposition presidential candidate here in El Salvador 🙃 twitter.com/nytimes/status…
Perhaps this will shine the sanitizing light on Hahvad Law like those lefties did at Stanford.
To think that dems at one time persecuted Joe McCarthy, their current political guru.
Mutaman: "I always advise my clients that as soon as the judge is appointed they should find out as much as they can about the judge's family and then publicly attack them. Terrific legal strategy."
Yes.
A leftist wrote that.
Just now.
As if the last 50 years never happened at all.
chickelit said...
"Blogger Rusty said…” I liked peace and prosperity and nearly secure boarders.
What happened? Why can't we have those things?”
Quit sounding so ancient Roman. Embrace modern times; America is like Rome."
Wait! Like Germanicus Rome or like Visigoth Rome? The shitty Rome or the REALLY shitty Rome?
I'm sure we can do better. We can Rome BIGGLY!!!
Interestingly, El Salvador is having something of a renaissance these days. The murder rate has gone from 103/100,000 in 2015 to an estimated 2.6/100,000 this year. Of course, many leftist human rights groups are very offended by the new mega prisons they have built... It seems that locking up criminals does reduce crime. I imagine the people who were not killed by gang members are appreciative.
It's worth remembering that Joe McCarthy is the golem that is summoned anytime someone wants to evoke the horrors of state-sponsored intimidation and persecution - but what everyone conveniently forgets is that the House UnAmerican Activities Committee was led year after year by Democrats. They are the ones that chaired the Committee for almost all of its activities during this era, and their leadership controlled the hearings and Hollywood Blacklists and other examples of the shameful abuse of power.
A good summary from the NYT
An actually good summary would mention two things:
1: John Edwards had Bunny Mellon, a campaign supporter, pay off his baby momma to keep her silent during the campaign.
The law was ruled to be that the prosecution had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the only reason why Edwards wanted her paid off was for his campaign, otherwise it wasn't a "campaign donation"
Since he also didn't want his wife to know? "Not a crime"
2: Hillary's campaign paid over a million dollars to Perkins Coie labeled "legal fees", that Perkins Coie then turned around and paid Steele to make up the "Steele Dossier"
Which is to say she actually committed the felony that Trump didn't commit, but is being accused of committing.
Not in jail.
No "summary" of the situation that leaves that out can qualify as "good"
"The district attorney says that for nine straight months, Trump held documents in his hand containing a key lie: that he was paying Michael D. Cohen for legal services, rather than reimbursing him. Cohen paid hush money to Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election so that she would not tell her story of an earlier tryst with Trump."
Really? He carried that around in his hands for 9 months? That must make for some really funny video.
How does Bragg know when Trump "put this paper down"? Why 9 months? Why not 10, 8, or 50 months?
If I steal a million dollars, and still have some of it 10 years later, does that mean the theft is still happening, and a statute of limitations will not protect me, because I'm still holding in my hand the money I stole from you?
Those who sow the wind will reap the whirlwind. I must confess that, other than a few family members who I love despite their political views, I'm really going to enjoy the whirlwind
tim maguire said...
that he was paying Michael D. Cohen for legal services, rather than reimbursing him.
Reimbursements are a normal part of legal service billings.
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has super-lawyer TomCruise-of-The-Firm been consulted yet?
PB said...
He held documents in his hand for nine months? Why, I can definitively show there were times during that period when his hands were empty. Jeesh, what crappy writing by the NYTimes!
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he missed the chance to hand-off to Nancy to dispose the evidence during StateOfUnion
and make Nancy co-conspirator
Readering said...
I've heard 2 tolling theories for Trump. While he was president. That seems to work better for a federal offense. While he was out of NY. That tolls a lot if it applies.
1: For ASNY sort of tolling to apply, the prosecutor has to include it in the indictment. Which Bragg didn't
The judge should be impeached for not throwing this clearly illegitimate on its face "indictment" out
2: The business that made those payments was in NY for the last 6 years
3: If I move my business out of your State, that does not mean that statute of limitations no longer apply to me for crimes you claim I committed while in your State.
The same is true for personal crimes
IOW, that "theory" of tolling is so amazingly stupid I'm embarrassed for you for having offered it
During his presidency, Trump’s beloved plane was used by other members of his family between 2017 to 2019; he was forced to fly on the government’s Air Force One aircraft.
After 2019, the plane sat idle for two years at Stewart International Airport in New York
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this one amazing trick gives Trump loophole on S o L >> claim the plane as residence?!
DINKY DAU 45 said...
Before next meeting on December 4th, Fani and Jack will lay out the real hardcore charges. Criminals are charged all the time with these type of charges, trump aint seen nothing yet
HAHAHAHAHAHA
Yeah, really, Brgg's had 9+ months to come up with an actual charging document that actually alleges a crime, but he just needs another 8 months, then the walls will really close in on Trump.!!11!
Does it ever occur to you that your side requiring you to take positions that stupid, is an indication that your side sucks?
Tomcc said...
I thought the violation(s) had to do with federal election finance laws. Using campaign funds to pay the hush money.
Nope, because Trump didn't use campaign funds, he used his own personal / business funds.
That's what makes this even more stupid than the charges against Hillary (she used campaign funds, and lied about it) and Edwards (who got a campaign donor to pay off his baby momma instead of doing it himself)
During his presidency, Trump’s beloved plane was used by other members of his family between 2017 to 2019; he was forced to fly on the government’s Air Force One aircraft.
After 2019, the plane sat idle for two years at Stewart International Airport in New York
=========
this one amazing trick gives Trump loophole on S o L >> claim the plane as residence?!
and make Nancy co-conspirator accessory after fact etc.
Tofu King said...
Weak sauce as suspected.
No, it's far weaker than suspected.
Most people suspected that Bragg would at least try to submit a complete charging document, which this one isn't
Since it keeps on claiming Trump did this to support another "crime", but it doesn't tell us what that "crime" is.
Nice said...This is not about prosecuting Trump. This is about DeSantis and stopping DeSantis from winning the primary.
This. Why does everyone think the Dems don't WANT to run against Trump again? I keep hearing what a big mistake they've made prosecuting Trump, but it's only a mistake if it's not exactly what they want. I think they're using this to push Trump to the head of the Republican primary pack and keep DeSantis out, just like when the Clintons initially urged Trump to run in 2016 to knock out the "credible" opponents and then the Dem media kept him in the spotlight. Back then, they weren't prepared for the response. This time, the entire bureaucracy (especially all the spying agencies) will be on alert and the vote fraud has been perfected to ensure he doesn't win again. The Dems energize their base, the media get their boost, the GOP gets tarred as a bunch of white-supremacist hillbillies by the coastal influencers, and the end result is a rigged guarantee that won't get any scrutiny (again) from the establishment Republicans who also don't want the system disrupted by an outsider like Trump ... what's not to like for the Dem Party?
"Does it ever occur to you that your side requiring you to take positions that stupid, is an indication that your side sucks?"
Greg. You have to remember he voted for Biden. Not a lot of deep thinking going on up there. So. No. Nothing is going to occur because we're not dealing with people who reason.
“Dr. Kafka; paging Dr. Kafka. Please pick up the white courtesy phone.”
I'm buying that shirt!
When the court writes the new abortion laws it should see to it that black women get them for free.
Call it reparations.
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