৩ জানুয়ারী, ২০২৫

"The judge, Juan M. Merchan, indicated that he favored a so-called unconditional discharge of Mr. Trump’s sentence..."

"... a rare and lenient alternative to jail or probation. He set a sentencing date of Jan. 10, and ordered Mr. Trump to appear either in person or virtually. An unconditional discharge would cement Mr. Trump’s status as a felon just weeks before his inauguration.... Unlike a conditional discharge, which allows defendants to walk free if they meet certain requirements, such as maintaining employment or paying restitution, an unconditional discharge would come without strings attached...."

From "Judge Upholds Trump’s Conviction but Signals No Jail Time/The New York judge who oversaw President-elect Donald J. Trump’s hush-money trial scheduled his sentencing for Jan. 10. Mr. Trump is expected to appeal his conviction" (NYT).

"Unconditional discharge" sounds super-light, which makes use of the verb "cement" — with all its connotations of heaviness — feel like taunting.

What other "status" is "cemented"? It's demented.

৩৫টি মন্তব্য:

Justabill বলেছেন...

Let the appeals commence!

Dave Begley বলেছেন...

The whole Merchan trial was a shame and a complete disgrace to the legal profession. First assignment of error should be that the so-called judge should have recused himself.

Lem Vibe Bandit বলেছেন...

"An unconditional discharge would cement Mr. Trump’s status as a felon...."

If trump accepts, is it a trap to tempt Trump to become the first president to ever pardon himself?

Jim at বলেছেন...

Still waiting for somebody to name the underlying crime which allowed the misdemeanor charge to be kicked up to a felony.

Dave Begley বলেছেন...

This fake case is in state court. The President can only pardon federal criminals.

Dave Begley বলেছেন...

Sham; not shame.

RCOCEAN II বলেছেন...

The Stalin show trials were more fair. The best example of lawfare and the use of the law to destroy a political opponent in the last 100 years. Do people realize that if Trump had lost the election, this leftwing trump hater would've sentenced him to jail. To the cheers of Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell?

And Trump's crime? I cant remember. Some bogus nonsense that should've been thrown out on day 1, and would've been, except "Get trump by any means" was new Legal Standard.

Meanwhile, the cop who negligently caused Floyd's death is still rotting in jail, while Lt. Byrd who deliberately shot and killed Ashli Babbitt is running around free as a bird, and with a medal from Nancy pelosi for his "bravery".

Dave Begley বলেছেন...

If Marchan had any decency and smarts, he'd reverse the jury verdict and dismiss the case outright. So, so many errors. I'm sure Trump's lawyers have briefed the case completely.

Clyde বলেছেন...

Actually, it was both a sham AND a shame.

Mikey NTH বলেছেন...

It sounds like the easiest way to move things along to the appeals stage without untoward drama.

Mikey NTH বলেছেন...

Only Trump wasn't destroyed, he was made stronger.

Josephbleau বলেছেন...

Democrats want this for the felon smear, but most consider it a badge of martyrdom a symbol of reckless abuse of the law, a chain of orchestrated outcomes. Beiden admitted that it was all political, why else would you cry about it happening to late to affect the election?

Goldenpause বলেছেন...

An ongoing disgraceful example of lawfare. Talk about sowing the wind….

Goldenpause বলেছেন...

An ongoing disgraceful example of lawfare. Talk about sowing the wind….

gilbar বলেছেন...

Being a Republican.
Want a GREATER, and More Serious Charge?
Being a Republican, that WINS

Aggie বলেছেন...

If you're looking for the context from the most hopeful Democrat viewpoint, context for calling Trump a 'felon', just remember that very well-covered, solemn procession from the House over to the Senate, led by Nancy Pelosi, carrying the Articles of Impeachment. The Declaration of Independence never had such gravitas and ceremony. Heck, the Ark of the Covenant never had anything comparable, in their mind. If they could have gotten away with wearing special robes and headdresses, they would have.

The Democrats want to pretend that this means something. And it does mean something - it means they're absolutely corrupt, and willing to demean any principle if they can assign it to their actions to make them seem more important. They think this kind of sh*t actually works, actually fools people. It's like Obama's Nobel prize for doing nothing, or Joe's bestowing of medals on Liz Cheney all other examples of this kind of cheapjack leveraging of the institutions. It's symbolic, but not how they think it is.

Mikey NTH বলেছেন...

And at the end of all the drama Donald Trump is elected president again.

Wince বলেছেন...

Felon in pig latin is Elon-Fay.

Quaestor বলেছেন...

Actually, it was both a sham AND a shame AND a travesty.

Mason G বলেছেন...

Who (Republican or Democrat) would be more likely to buy a "Trump - Convicted Felon" t-shirt?

Gk1 বলেছেন...

Fielding Mellish : I object, your honor! This trial is a travesty. It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.

Gk1 বলেছেন...

"The walls are closing in!" Good gravy, what a prolonged embarrassment for the democrat's and their banana republic lawfare. I hope Trump either doesn't bother showing and daring the judge to hold him in contempt.

Breezy বলেছেন...

Can I order an honest adult judge please, hold the evil-crazy?

Howard (not that Howard) বলেছেন...

These idiots continue to act as though anyone other than diehard anti-Trumpers is impressed by the "convicted felon" tag. Everyone else knows it's BS. Even Hochul, who assured NY businesses that they would not be subject to prosecution for the same actions.

AZ Bob বলেছেন...

"An unconditional discharge would cement Mr. Trump’s status as a felon...."

True. But let's see if there are any federal grounds to get the appeal out of the crooked NY state court system and into the less crooked federal court system.

The state prosecutor had to boot-strap a Federal campaign law violation in order to get around the statute of limitations.

Hillary Clinton lied in her campaign reporting about "legal fees" which were actually pay offs that created the Steel Dossier. She only had to pay a fine. I mean someone else paid the fine for her.

Rusty বলেছেন...

It's like a rite. Formulas have to be followed. Incantations chanted. Amulets worn. The words must follow the ancient patterns. Thus is Democrat politics.

Christopher B বলেছেন...

Pedantic but this is sentencing in the "hush money" case. The business fraud case, which I believe is the one Hochul and others took great pains to claim will only be used against Trump, is already on appeal.

Wince বলেছেন...

Unlike a conditional discharge... an unconditional discharge...

At a recent high school reunion I admitted who was the subject of my first nocturnal emission.

Hey, I thought it was a compliment.

Randolf বলেছেন...

I saw in Virgina City, NV a couple of months before the election, shirts with "I'm voting for the felon"

MSOM বলেছেন...

Imagine being a juror, or anyone else involved in that trial other than the judge and prosecutor. Believing that those in charge thought this was a serious crime that warranted you devoting weeks to it. That it was a serious enough crime to warrant trying a former/future president. And then finding out that the judge deems a suitable punishment for this crime to be an unconditional discharge.

I'ld expect Merchan to at least pretend that this was a serious trial by giving a serious sentence. It's going to be overturned regardless, so why admit now that this was a big nothingburger?

Iman বলেছেন...

Merchan should be cremated.

mikee বলেছেন...

What other status is cemented? Reminds me of the old joke, a guy sitting morose and drunk in a bar. Bartender finally asks why he's so sad. Guy says, "20 years stellar record at my company, best salesman they have, made the company millions, and I screw a goat in the parking lot, ONCE, and suddenly, now I'm known only as the guy who screwed a goat."

mikee বলেছেন...

Will recipients, causes, and individual payments from the Congressional hush money slush fund ever be made public? I ask only to generate a chuckle of disbelief in readers of this comment.

Zach বলেছেন...

Would it moot an appeal?

These charges never should have been a felony in the first place, let alone dozens. Discharging the penalty but keeping the sentence isn't really leniency, it's covering the tracks.

Grandpa Publius বলেছেন...

Original definition of victory: End his political career and send him to prison.
Current definition of victory: allow us to call him a convicted felon for a few months before the appellate court flushes the entire case down the toilet.