Trump - Criminal Prosecution

[matthewfarmery]

Stormy Daniels' testified yesterday, and it certainly didn't go well for the defence. Trump's lawyers tried to A stop her from testifying, (which failed) and Trump's lawyers tried to go for a mistrial, because the details were too damning and prejudicial to Trump. And a mistrial was denied. And the defence has done a poor job on cross, and will resume tomorrow.

Also, Trump was doing a lot of cursing during her testimony, and the judge told his lawyers to speak to him about that. as that could lead to contempt.

So yeah. not good for him. I do think what she said was pretty credible.

[burger1]

Looks like Judge Aileen Cannon has indefinitely postponed Trumps classified documents trial. Maybe she can get removed due to her previous actions?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/07/politics ... index.html

[matthewfarmery]

Read that as well, she clearly doing Trump a huge favour there. she needs to be removed and investigated. Its been clear for a long time now, she doing everything she can to delay this case, and in bed with Trump.

[felter]

The guy is a joke, you know those speeches he gives every day after the trial has ended for that day yesterday he says that was a great day, where the prosecution case is falling to bits. I mean seriously is he even watching the same trial as everyone else is or is it because he is spending so much time asleep he isn't actually seeing the trial and that it is showing him to be the crook we all know or suspect he is. Not just that he doesn't even know the name of his lawyer, as he said something and turned to Blanche and said isn't that true Mr Attorney. And talking about Blanche, his brain has either melted away from representing Trump or he has had enough of Trump and is deliberately screwing him over as he is supposed to be a fairly decent lawyer, but he just keeps on screwing simple things up.

Here's a good one, there was a press conference with the New York powers that be (don't know their names) but one of the questions that was asked was, were they prepared for Trump going to jail and the answer was basically, yeah we have a jail cell all just for him in Rikers, not what Trump wants to hear.

[matthewfarmery]

From some legal analysts, if under cross (Daniels), the defence takes things too far, and in too much detail, then an appeal could very well backfire. And Trump will appeal this regardless. While the defence has established That Daniels hates Trump, and wants him in prison if convicted. But then again, a lot of people are in the same boat. I want the SOB to be behind bars.

As for Blanche, it wouldn't surprise me if Blanche turns against Trump at some point, we had Blanche saying a nickname that Michael Cohen called Trump in open court. "Von ShitzInPantz," But it was Blanche who brought this up, not the prosecution. I'm sure Trump wasn't happy hearing that.

Plus the judge did a shot across the bow on Blanche, saying that the defence didn't do a good job objecting to Daniels questioning of from the prosecution. But yeah, I wondering if Blanche could be trying to screw up the defence. But then again, it not Blanche who is questioning Daniels.

Still, I do think the encounter happened, Trump is a sexual predator, and who bother even giving Daniels money if the act didn't happen in the first place?

Oh yes, Trump might have violated the gag order again on Wednesday, But at some point, the judge will be forced to take extra action against Trump. Trump won't stop until the trial is over, or he goes to prison for a little while. Otherwise, Trump is playing chicken with the judge. and is pushing things to the extreme.

[matthewfarmery]

I think any grounds for an appeal from Trump's team will have little chance now. As things got to a heated start.

Susan Necheles hit a brusque tone when she demanded of Daniels, "You recall you did an interview and said the claims you had sex with President Trump was bull----?"

That line of questioning was objected too, and was shut down.

Not a very smart move by team Trump. basically, trying to say that Daniels lied about the affair, but without any real proof to back that up. I suppose Trump ordered her to do this? wouldn't be the first time, but the manner of the question doesn't help his case. And could very well hurt their chances of an appeal.

[felter]

At the end of the day it doesn't matter whether he had sex with her or not as that is not what he is being charged with, he is being charged with falsifying documents in connection to allegations of him having sex and trying to hide said allegation from the electorate with false representation on what the payment he made was actually for. If he didn't have sex with her, it actually makes him look even dumber than we know he actually is as then he would have paid for something that never happened and then lied about the payment, which is only really understandable for him to do so only if he actually had sex with her, especially as it is now looking like he is going to end up in jail for doing so.

[matthewfarmery]

At the end of the day it doesn't matter whether he had sex with her or not as that is not what he is being charged with, he is being charged with falsifying documents in connection to allegations of him having sex and trying to hide said allegation from the electorate with false representation on what the payment he made was actually for. If he didn't have sex with her, it actually makes him look even dumber than we know he actually is as then he would have paid for something that never happened and then lied about the payment, which is only really understandable for him to do so only if he actually had sex with her, especially as it is now looking like he is going to end up in jail for doing so.

I know, but my point is, Trump's lawyers are acting like Pitbulls, the same manner that Joe Tacopina was like in the first E Carroll case. It scored points with Trump, but I don't think it went down well with the jury. Trump is clearly getting his lawyers to to and discredit Daniels, but from what I read, Daniels has held her own. But by trying to do this, they could wind up backfiring on Trump, and his chance of a success appeal. It more likely a move of desperation, more then anything. Trump's team probably realises they are going to lose the case. But at the end of the day, they are acting on Trump's orders.

[felter]

That's what I'm saying, it is a pointless endeavour that will ultimately get them nowhere but could potentially backfire against them.

[matthewfarmery]

Blanche to judge, "We demand a mistrial take 2"

So for doing a really bad cross examine, and our cross examine was really prejudicial to our client again, we demand a mistrial, we can't defend him.

(mistrial take 2 is real, the rest I made up) but probably not far from the truth I suspect)

I think their cross has gone badly wrong, and again, they were following Trump's orders, but they only destroyed whatever creditability that they had left, (probably not much anyway by defending that POS) So yeah, it was a bad day for Trump and co, and I wonder how long before the lawyers are no longer going to get paid? As Trump could try and say, "My lawyers did a very bad job on counselling me and I demand a mistrial". Wouldn't put it past the POS to throw his lawyers under the bus like that.

And I suspect things will only get worse for them.

[felter]

Necheles to Stormy:

Even though you had agreed that you would not discuss this supposed story....
You then decided that you wanted to publicly say that you had sex with Donald Trump.

Stormy's reply to Necheles:

No, nobody would ever want to publicly say that.

[Sovereign01]

Michael Cohen testifies Trump saw Stormy Daniels story as 'total disaster' for 2016 campaign

Michael Cohen, the attorney and fixer for Donald Trump for a decade, told a Manhattan jury on Monday that his former boss regarded pornographic movie actress Stormy Daniels’ story about Trump having an extramarital fling with her as a “total disaster” for his first White House run in 2016 – and the former president at every juncture approved Cohen’s efforts to pay her hush money.

“Catastrophic - that this is horrible for the campaign,” was Trump’s reaction, according to Cohen after he first informed him that Daniels’ attorney was shopping her story a month before Election Day.

Cohen spent the whole day testifying as a prosecution witness in Trump’s trial for falsifying business records to cover up reimbursements to Cohen for the $130,000 he paid to prevent Daniels from going public about a one-night stand with Trump in 2006 in Nevada, 18 months after Trump had married former First Lady Melania Trump and four months after she had given birth to their son, Barron.

“This is a total disaster,” Trump said, according to Cohen, when they next discussed the story. “Women are going to hate me. Guys may think it’s cool. But this will be a disaster for the campaign.”

The 2016 hush-money deal was the second time Cohen had squelched Daniels' story. Five years earlier, Cohen had worked collaboratively with Daniels’ attorney Keith Davidson to have an online article about the encounter taken down.
Former President Donald Trump reacts as Michael Cohen testifies in Manhattan criminal court on May 13, 2024, in New York. Credit: AP/Elizabeth Williamson

Cohen testified he spoke to Trump about Daniels in 2011, saying: “I asked if he knew who she was - he told me that he did."

He also testified that Trump told him he had met Daniels at a celebrity golf tournament, but Cohen said when he asked Trump if he had a sexual encounter with Daniels, Trump did not respond.

When the story reemerged in the fall of 2016, Trump instructed him: “Purchase the life rights. We need to stop this from getting out,” Cohen testified.

According to Cohen’s testimony, Trump told him: "I want you to just push it out as long as you can. Just get past the election, because if I win, it will have no relevance, because I'm president, and if I lose, I don't even care."

When he inquired about the Trump marriage, Trump replied cryptically, “‘Don’t worry,' He goes, he goes, 'How long do you think I’ll be on the market for? Not long,’" Cohen testified. "He wasn’t thinking about Melania. This was all about the campaign.”

The 34 criminal counts – one each for the 11 checks, 11 invoices, and 12 Trump Organisation ledger entries allegedly used to cover up his reimbursing Cohen for the Daniels hush money -- can be considered felonies if the jury decides the records were intended to conceal another crime, such as a conspiracy to interfere with the 2016 election.

By October 17, 2016, the Daniels hush-money deal almost fell apart, because no one had paid her the agreed upon $130,000.

Due to the delay, Davidson informed Cohen their deal was dead, and Daniels was leaning toward selling the rights to her story to The Daily Mail.

Speaking to Trump over the phone about the snafu, Cohen testified, Trump told him a wealthy friend had advised him: “It’s $130,000. You’re a billionaire - just pay it."

Cohen testified he continually discussed the Daniels nondisclosure agreement (NDA) over the phone with Trump and Trump Organisation Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, and Cohen’s phone records showed calls to Trump and Weisselberg on and around the milestone dates of the Daniels deal developments.

Trump told Cohen to discuss payment options with Weisselberg, who told Cohen he could not afford to shell out the hush money himself, Cohen testified.

“I ultimately said, ‘I’ll pay it,’” Cohen said.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll make sure you get paid back,” Weiselberg said, according to Cohen.

When Cohen and Weisselberg informed Trump that Cohen would “front the money,” Cohen testified: “He was appreciative.”

“Good. Good,” Trump said, according to Cohen.

Cohen opened a First Republic Bank account for a limited liability company (LLC) he created, Essentials Consulting, transferred funds from the home equity line of credit (HELOC) he shared with his wife, and wired the Daniels money to her attorney, Davidson.

Cohen told the jury he never would have paid Daniels without Trump’s assurance of reimbursement.

“I was doing everything and more in order to protect my boss, which is something I’d done for a long time, but I would not lay out $130,000 for an NDA needed by somebody else,” Cohen testified. “Everything required Mr Trump’s signoff, and I wanted the money back.”

The NDA was finalised on October 27, but Trump did not sign the paperwork.

Instead, Cohen wrote the initials “EC” for Essential Consultants on the line where there was a pseudonym, “David Dennison,” for Trump. Daniels was referred to as “Peggy Peterson.”

Cohen testified he called Trump.

“So, he would know the task he gave to me was finished, accomplished, done," Cohen said. “It was also for credit for myself."

In mid-January 2017, Cohen testified, Trump and Weisselberg informed him how he would be reimbursed for the Cohen hush money deal – as income, instead of expenses - by doubling the $130,000 to $260,000 to cover his taxes, plus $50,000 in other expenses owed and a $60,000 bonus, totaling $420,000, to be paid in 12 monthly installments of $35,000 to be invoiced as a retainer for legal services, as Cohen would serve as the president’s personal attorney.

Of Trump, Cohen said: “He approved it.”

Daniels testified over two days for eight hours last week and was preceded on the witness stand by Davidson and former Cohen banker Gary Farro, and the Cohen bank documents were already in evidence.

Cohen, 57, worked until 2017 for the Trump Organisation, as Executive Vice President and Special Counsel to Donald J Trump, answering only to “the boss.”

As Cohen identified Trump in the courtroom, the defendant’s eyes were closed, as they were for much of his testimony.

Cohen said his base salary was $375,000 a year, with bonuses around $525,000, and the job was “fantastic.”

“An amazing experience in many, many ways. There were great times,” Cohen testified. “For the most part, I enjoyed the responsibilities that was given to me.”

In 2007, Cohen took over the office used by Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, on the 26th floor of Trump Tower, and later moved closer into an office about 50 feet from Trump’s.

Cohen said he and Trump spoke “every single day and multiple times a day” in person or cell phone, as he handled real estate and personal matters for him.

“Mr Trump never had an email address,” Cohen testified. Cohen put a premium on keeping Trump, who he described as a “micromanager,” informed.

"It was actually required," Cohen testified. "As soon as you had a result, an answer, you could go straight back and tell him, especially if it was a matter that was troubling to him."

Cohen said: "If you didn't immediately provide him with the information, and he learned it in another manner that wouldn't go over well for you."

As a hard-nosed negotiator, Cohen admitted, sometimes he lied for Trump “to accomplish the task to make him happy.”

[matthewfarmery]

Seems the cross examine of Michael Cohen by Trump's lawyers isn't going very well. Asking pointless qestions and trying to undermine Michael Cohen creditability. Of course, they are doing what Trump is telling them to do, but not working in Trump's favour it seems.

[felter]

I was thinking, what do you think will happen if Trump is found guilty, I mean the Judge has already said he doesn't want to send Trump to jail but at the same time he also said that fining Trump was a waste of time, as a fine did not seem to stop him from doing the things the fine was meant to stop him from doing, granted that was for a small fine but even large fines don't seem to work on him, so what do you think the judge is going to do. About the only thing left is community service, where Trump has to spend several hundred hours doing something like sweeping the streets or an even better one would be having him wash the dishes in a migrant shelter, I think that would hurt him more than a fine would but what do you think will/could happen.

[matthewfarmery]

That's the million dollor question, and I doubt he will see prision, It probably going to be a fine, and a slap on the wrist. Even then, Trump will want it appealed, and it might get overturned, or not? which may take time. So nothing is going happen to him, regardless of outcome.

Which sadly, shows how bent and corrupt the system is.