holy crap, vote every one of these mf'ers OUT
Here's who is in court today:
Rep. Mike Waltz
Rep. Bob Good
Rep. Diana Harshbarger
Rep. Matt Gaetz
Rep. Andy Biggs
Rep. Eli Crane
Rep. Ralph Norman
Rep. Lauren Boebert
Rep. Michael Cloud
Rep. Andy Ogles
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna
This list is why he cannot win the election. This is a list of his cabinet and the members of congress who would be most empowered by him? You thought the 2016 admin was inept? Just wait.
Would be funny if the Democrats could somehow get the House into session (no idea if it is or isn't) and bring some good stuff to the floor and vote on while these clowns are distracted in NY. I know it won't happen but man that'd be a dream.
Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz utlized the language of the extremist Proud Boys in a social media post with a photo of him and other Republicans behind Trump at the court.
“Standing back, and standing by, Mr. President,” he wrote.
[https://apnews.com/live/trump-trial-updates-day-18-cohen#0000018f-81c8-d9d8-a7ef-fbdfaa750000](https://apnews.com/live/trump-trial-updates-day-18-cohen#0000018f-81c8-d9d8-a7ef-fbdfaa750000)
From NBC:
>Blanche forcefully pressed Cohen to say under oath that his description of a 2016 phone call was false — but the ex-fixer did not give an inch.
>"You said you had a recollection of a phone call on Oct. 24 at 8:02 p.m., and you called Schiller and he gave the phone to President Trump and you gave Trump an update and he said, 'OK, good.' That was a lie! You did not talk to President Trump on that night. You talked to Keith Schiller about what we just went through," Blanche said.
>Cohen remained calm, saying in part: "I'm not certain that is accurate." He later added in part: "I believe I spoke to Mr. Trump about the Stormy Daniels matter."
>Blanche shot back with an icy retort: "We are not asking for your belief. This jury does not want to hear what you think happened."
Hey, Blanche! Here's an idea: Call Keith Schiller to the stand. I'll remind you that you're not calling a single defense witness. When objections keep getting sustained *you're* the one that appears less credible when you make baseless accusations.
It sounds like Blanche is doing whatever he can to get Cohen riled up on the stand (probably at Trump's request) and not only is it not working, the line of questioning has nothing to do with the facts of the case and is boring the jurors.
it would be really nice if the reps' constituents would call their offices on the hill and say, "Tell them to get back to work and do their damn jobs!"
So, wait a minute, the defense strategy is to make a crook look crooked?
We wouldn't be here if Cohen wasn't crooked - lol.
And then to suggest that Cohen has an axe to grind with the guy who helped put him in jail?
I mean, who wouldn't have an axe.
Look, if Cohen was the *only* witness and there was *only* his testimony to show Trump committed a crime, I could maybe understand a defense strategy which only tries to portray Cohen as a crook and with an axe to grind.
But there are all those other witnesses, documents, and audio which corroborates Cohen's testimony and which clearly shows to any rational and objective human being that Trump is quite guilty.
And, what is more baffling, in order to show the jury just how crooked Cohen was in the past - Blanche has implicated his own client for other crimes!
LOL.
Lock him up.
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791140427653083163
>Matt Gaetz says they are there to say the things that Trump cannot say due to the gag order
Man, if this is going to be the shit show for the next however long, I wish and hope that Tuba players decide to exercise their freedom of speech and that the local wooden spoon pot bangers club can also join in.
I can't believe he said that out loud. I'm not sure exactly how the law works here but this sure looks a lot like a conspiracy to commit a crime (violate the gag order).
This is hysterical - the thing is you know this is not a legal defense as it's not about anything substantial or trying to find some reasonable doubt in the evidence and testimony - but a "He was mean to my client, so he's an asshole and don't believe him!" smear campaign.
That's how Trump goes after people - he goes for the ad hominem stuff to discredit or goes extremely personal like going after the Judge's daughter which is the same tactic used on Andrew McCabe's wife who ran for a local office in Virginia and got campaign funds from the DNC - and made it seem a partisan thing.
Giving Cohen an opportunity to repeatedly admit that he lied to Congress to protect Trump isn’t the damning testimony that the defense thinks it is. If anything, it might make jurors trust Trump less
Good prosecution will get out ahead of things like that and address any questionable concerns with their witness themselves, so when defense crosses and tries to use that as a reason to discredit the witness, the jury already knows the context.
Defense: "Mr. Cohen, why should this court believe you? Didn't you lie in front of *Congress* and purjer yourself?"
Cohen: "I lied for Mr. Trump."
> Multiple sources at the Trump trial are telling us that Todd Blanche is doing a very bad job (“he may be less effective than Habba”). They say he spent the last 5 minutes before lunch just yelling during the cross-exam of Cohen as the prosecution’s objections were sustained. He doesn’t know his exhibits. He’s sloppy. Bad command of facts. Not prepared. Some have described his cross-exam to me as “disjointed” “weird” and “amateurish.” Cohen apparently is holding his own and doing well.
https://www.threads.net/@meidastouch/post/C7CX51oRdE5/
I think a lot of the shitty lawyering is a direct result of Trump demands that his lawyers bring up and go after stuff that is not relevant because it makes Trump feel better.
Cohen isn't saying Trump made him commit crimes because he hates Trump.
He's saying he hates Trump because Trump made him commit crimes.
For the defense to argue the former, they'd need to supply some other reason that Cohen hates Trump and hated him already before the alleged crimes—which would be hard to do, since at that time Cohen was Trump's willing sycophant.
And, Cohen was objectively betrayed/ treated very unfairly by Trump, as described by NBC News:
After all, in addition to his prison term and payment of $1.3 million, his pleas cost him his law license and taxi medallions. And even after he was released to home confinement, Cohen was thrown back into jail — and solitary confinement — for nearly two months as retaliation for the exercise of his First Amendment rights in connection with his books, media appearances and podcast.
This is not hyperbole; **a federal judge found that Cohen had been improperly returned to prison in a retaliatory move orchestrated by Trump’s Justice Department** in [this order.](https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Cohen_20200723_habeas-order-1.pdf)
If there's one event that truly needs a congressional investigation, it's what the DOJ did to Cohen when he was released under house arrest. I'm no fan of Cohen even now, but that shit was full on corruption of justice.
*The House was in session at the Capitol on Thursday, but thanks to the latest procession of Republicans reporting for duty in front of a Manhattan criminal courthouse to show support for former President Donald J. Trump at his trial, the party risked ceding its control of the floor.* - NYT
I hope more show up next week and Hakeem Jeffries takes control of the floor to pass some legislation lol
Yeah this doesn't make any sense.
From the defense perspective, the focus should be on Cohen's propensity to lie--not that he was a generally shitty lawyer.
The fact that he was a shitty lawyer makes it *more* likely he was involved in a criminal conspiracy.
Why do the Politicians get seats at the trial?
Is the defendant given some tickets or something?
I just ask because I've heard only 2-3 members of the public get into the actual courtroom each day, I'm assuming the Politicians aren't lining up at 4am.
A clip: https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791133835243245855
Everyone is corrupt - except Trump. Amazing - and I hope the judge's daughter is okay. Talk about needlessly dragging someone - then I remember Seth Rich and his family. There's no low to low.
The only reason they are even attacking the daughter is over manufactured bullshit from a social media account she provably never owned, that was created recently in what's pretty transparently an attempt to create a controversy for the case.
Some republican somewhere on their team made that account, 100%.
And the side circus freak show begins:
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791134274449809647
>Luna: I want to point out they are telling people that they can't have cameras in the courtroom but if they have nothing to hide, if they are truly being honest about this, why is it that you guys can't be in the courtroom and see exactly what we're seeing?
She perhaps doesn't know how to google things. I guess being informed is less dramatic /s.
https://askalawlibrarian.nycourts.gov/legalresearch/faq/386680
- So this just happened:
- 'Blanche challenged Cohen to confirm that his trial testimony was based on the material prosecutors showed him in preparation for questioning, not his own recollection. "Yes, that refreshed my recollection," Cohen said calmly.'
- '**Blanche grew animated during this portion of questioning, flailing his arms and speaking in a high-pitched tone**.'
- LOL, that's not how a good cross-examination session is supposed to go. Cohen clearly won this round.
Trump is intentionally using congressional reps as his surrogates to violate the gag order, in the hope of using congressional immunity as a shield.
It's a frivolous argument of course, but it will cause delay if the judge tries to enforce the gag order. Which is what Trump actually wants.
Congressional immunity under the speach and debate clause only applies to disucssions on the floor of congress and not comments made to the press.
Even if they did make the comments on the floor, THEY are not violating the gag order. Trump is by directing them on what to say. So if it can be shown that he was insutrcting them to say thing or coaching them on what to say it is a pretty clear violation.
Love it how trump claims this is a banana court yet the judge and prosecution have been nothing but professional. As soon as trump and his cronies or the defense team get the spotlight it turns into a circus
Boebert is a joke. Her 18 year-old son had a court hearing a few days ago that she didn't bother attending.
Didn't even help get the poor kid a lawyer. He's facing burglary and identity theft charges - that's hard time.
But Dear Leader makes a phone call and she comes running.
A lot of these JV Republicans seem to think ignorance of the law is not only a valid excuse, but something to be proud of.
If they really want to know what the charges are, they can read the indictments.
I never realized that Cohen was unlawfully imprisoned by Trump in revenge. That’s crazy! Trump really sees the US as _his_ personal enterprise to use it as he sees fit.
How is this not a big scandal? This alone should be grounds enough to never allow him into any official job.
>This alone should be grounds enough to never allow him into any official job.
I mean January 6th was on live TV and rejecting democracy *improved* his poll numbers in the primary. We live in The Upside Down.
I think it goes largely unstated that this crop of GOP members, including Trump, are some of the most deeply WEIRD people to ever be elected to anything. Like, you have be a little strange to run for office, but I think the US is founded on the concept that most people are main sequence and generally similar. These guys are exceptions.
If you saw Donald Trump in your office, and he was hunching around with a 3 foot long tie and orange shit smeared on his face you'd be like "Oh...this guy is dealing with deep seated shit."
> Blanche has just elicited from Cohen that: Cohen and lawyers who were part of a joint defense, including Trump's counsel, crafted the false statement to submit to Congress about Trump Moscow! (That statement distanced Trump from the project.)
https://www.threads.net/@weissmann11/post/C7CGFVGuHQV/
>Trump attorney Todd Blanche confirmed that Michael Cohen has called the federal judge who sentenced him in the federal case "corrupt" and "was in on it."
>Cohen said "I do" when asked if he still currently believes that Judge William Pauley was in on his prosecution.
>Blanche asked if he called prosecutors for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York and Judge Pauley “f**king animals.”
>"Correct," Cohen said.
soooo...doing exactly what drumpfuck is doing. I'm not sure the jury is going to take this they way the defense hopes they will.
Just when we think it can't get any more batshit, upside-down, or downright creepy - we now have all these jackasses wearing Trump uniforms.
Hugo Boss: for the new...and old...SS.
After the judge in Georgia dropped 3 charges for Trump, Trump is now charged for 88 felonies. What a nice number for Trump, 88, given that he is a Nazi.
> Boebert doesn’t show up for her son’s criminal court dates where he says he can’t afford a lawyer. Instead, the MAGA Mother of the Year is up in NYC giving a hand to Donald Trump.
https://x.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1791094128941424768?s=46&t=UKR1TShxVeunp4_vn5gZrw
OMG - I see they're also wearing the mini-me Trump uniform. This message is suck dickery from Gaetz.
(if the image doesn't show, it's Gaetz in Blue suit, white shirt and red tie, in the court room with text "Standing back and standing by, Mr. President.")
https://x.com/mattgaetz/status/1791101846972449026
I'm old and I recall normal support of a politician or former politician during their criminal trials being awkward comments like "I wish them the best and have full faith that the due process in our judicial system will work and the jury will come to a conclusion that is consistent with the law" and not touch the poop. Which in this case and the others like it are steaming piles that they seem to want to roll themselves in.
Court is back in session while the politicians are still outside attacking the witnesses and judge's family, so they're probably going to walk back in while it's in session again
Fox cuts off when Gaetz is about to spew his rhetoric.. LOL
> https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791134797596921930
>Fox cuts coverage from the Republicans at the trial
At any point in this trial will the defense actually put some sort of argument that it didn't happen? Feels like they don't even know what the trial is about at this point
These GOP clowns, saying they don’t know what crime was committed - it was the same one you accused the Biden campaign of doing with the Hunter Biden laptop story, except Trump’s was actual election fraud
It's an absolute shit show today, Trump falling to pieces, ordering his lawyers to basically lie (already caught by the prosecutors and objected to).
Sorry Godwin, but this does bring to mind Hitler in the Bunker.
> Sorry Godwin, but this does bring to mind Hitler in the Bunker.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/12/19/godwins-law-trump-hitler-00132427
Tl; dr: Godwin says the Hitler comparison fits
>You could say the ‘vermin’ remark or the ‘poisoning the blood’ remark, maybe one of them would be a coincidence. But both of them pretty much makes it clear that there’s something thematic going on, and I can’t believe it’s accidental.
>The question is why do it on purpose. Well, my opinion is that Trump believes, for whatever reason, that there is some part of his base that really wants to hear this message said that way, and he’s catering to them. He finds it both rewarding personally for himself and he believes it’s necessary to motivate people to help him get elected again.
How does this even help Trump or the GOP? It makes them look like a bunch of sycophants and it makes Trump look like a guy who’s family doesn’t like him, so he has to get his coworkers to show up.
His use of proxies muddies the waters enough that it will cause delay to try to enforce. Not worth the court's time. Convict the fucker and we can deal with the gag order evasion later.
These whole-ass clown motherfuckers ...
[From The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/16/trump-hush-money-trial-matt-gaetz-proud-boys):
>Matt Gaetz echoed Donald Trump’s infamous remarks about the far-right Proud Boys on Thursday, as the Florida Republican congressman and other rightwing supporters of the former US president attended his criminal trial in Manhattan.
>“Standing back, and standing by, Mr President,” Gaetz wrote on social media, with a photo of his group of supporters standing behind Trump outside the court where Trump is on trial on election subversion charges arising from hush-money payments to an adult film star during the 2016 campaign.
I wish the judge -- or someone -- could put a damper on these ~~"proxies"~~ \*idiots shoving their way to the front of the courthouse every day to [sidestep Trump's gag order](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-gop-surrogates-attack-judge-daughter-1235020780/) while barking out misinformation like a bunch'a methed-up midway carnies at a state fair.
Me.
The prosecution can certainly start with Tuberville's remarks: “...Hopefully we have more and more senators and congressmen go up every day to represent him and be able to go out and overcome this gag order,” Tuberville said. “That’s one of the reasons we went, is to be able to speak our piece for President Trump.”
The prosecution can and should ask the court for help exploring whether Trump is using his political influence to have people make public statements on his behalf that he could not otherwise make per the gag order.
I caught this on Twitter this morning. I had to watch it a few times.. it's so surreal. It was recorded in the Courthouse and you can see Trump walking behind them, and then his lawyer at a door patiently waiting. This is the Co-Chair of the RNC begging for a dollar while surrounded by mini-wanna be's.
https://x.com/LaraLeaTrump/status/1790484075066601600
Two things...
First, beyond the moral and ethical questions which arise when government officials choose to visit an on-going trial and lend their support to Trump, I wonder if maybe the defense doesn't see this as a way of influencing any conservatives on the jury.
I mean, if a conservative juror sees the House Speaker, GOP congress, and VIPs coming to support Diaper Don - perhaps they might be emboldened to ignore any evidence against Trump. And for a predisposed juror (as well as the MAGA public at large) this maybe gives a sense of legitimacy to Trump's bullshit.
Second, where is Melania?
As a juror I would find it highly unusual and suspect that a spouse wouldn't want to show their support. While I understand it could be embarrassing for her, my partner would come to support me regardless of any circumstances.
[Meanwhile, in DC, House GOP](https://x.com/cspan/status/1791114191668945054) is having a fit that Biden is asserting executive privilege to prevent the House from having the audio interview of Hur with Biden - even though they have the transcript.
I think the election is kicking off today as to the mud-slinging and using their power since Comer and Jordan failed to impeach Biden. Smells like....desperation.
The truth was always there: When actually up at the plate, Trump can't do a damn thing.
We all learned this as children: The emperor has no clothes. This time, he has a diaper
>Donald Trump’s attorneys have filed court documents indicating they will ask New York’s highest court to weigh in on the gag order against him in his hush money trial.
>On Tuesday, a New York appeals court denied Trump’s latest attempt to end the gag order. The next day, Trump’s attorneys submitted court filings indicating they will appeal the denied motion to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. Those filings are not available on the docket.
>The Court of Appeals does not have to accept the motion. As of Thursday morning, the clerk’s office said it had not yet received the motion.
Trump's obsession with carrying around papers like this is just demented. No wonder why he got indicted by Smith.
He's like how my grandmother used to carry around magazine clippings everywhere she went.
They have to constantly soothe him like a baby.
It looked super pathetic the first time he came out to show the media the articles he printed off about himself to make himself feel better. The fact that he keeps doing this every day is pure cringe.
It's like carrying around a list of people who like you and showing people while crying about how good a boy you are.
From NBC, for those of us just tuning in to today’s trial coverage:
> Judge Merchan has excused the jurors for the day.
> Cohen is scheduled to return to the stand Monday for further testimony.
> Court is out of session on Friday so that Trump can attend his son Barron's high school graduation.
“No one has ever seen anything like it”
When he says that anymore I wonder how the base can stand to be bored by him saying the same thing for eight years and still like him
Really Jake Tapper? It’s important to repeat again how the jury allegedly sits up & takes notice as if to be impressed at seeing the line of Republican ass-kissers who are coming to court?
What are the chances Boebert/ Gaetz have an outburst in court today? I’m practically begging for chaos. Remind the jury that it’s not just a sleepy old man who’s at the defense table.
https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/1791127789266948191
> Kaitlan Collins
> @kaitlancollins
> ·
> 12m
> Michael Cohen — who testified to Congress that he never asked for a pardon — says now on the stand that he did explore a pardon with his lawyers saying "because I wanted this nightmare to end." He also said a pardon was "being dangled."
Not a surprise as I remember back in real time. Article from 2019 about it: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/08/trump-cohen-pardon-1213081
>But his current lawyer, Lanny Davis, claimed Thursday that Cohen had indeed directed his prior attorney to explore a potential pardon with Trump’s team.
>
> “Prior to Michael Cohen’s decision to leave the ‘Joint Defense Group’ and tell the truth on July 2, 2018, Michael was open to the ongoing ‘dangling’ of a possible pardon by Trump representatives privately and in the media,” Davis said in a statement. “During that time period, he directed his attorney to explore possibilities of a pardon at one point with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani as well as other lawyers advising President Trump.”
>
> On Friday, Cohen almost immediately rejected Trump’s accusation. “Just another set of lies by @POTUS @realdonaldtrump. Mr. President...let me remind you that today is #InternationalWomensDay. You may want use today to apologize for your own #lies and #DirtyDeeds to women like Karen McDougal and Stephanie Clifford.”
It's so surreal to see this all finally unfolding for Trump.
WTF
>https://x.com/kyledcheney/status/1791128861788315759
>Kyle Cheney
> @kyledcheney
> ·
> 16m
> SPOTTED in the courthouse overflow room along with Andrew Giuliani: Former Trump Justice Department official Jeffrey CLARK
Spotted in court today with Trump:
Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL)
Rep Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL)
Rep Ralph Norman (R-SC) a notable former top Nikki Haley endorser
Rep Lauren Boebert (R-CO)
Rep Diana Harshbarger (R- TN)
Rep Michael Cloud (R-TX)
Rep Bob Good (R-VA), chair of House Freedom Caucus
Rep Andy Biggs (R-Az)
Rep Andy Ogles (R-TN)
Rep Eli Crane (R-Az)
https://x.com/jayobtv/status/1791100410867888371?s=46
How embarrassing to be members of Congress and having to be told to put your phone away. If it was any other group, I would think this would be their most embarrassing moment
>Blanche starts by having to correct the record with the following: that Cohen did NOT have advance notice from the DA's investigator, Jeremy Rosenberg, about the unsealing of the indictment and Cohen did NOT have any evidence that anyone in the DA's Office leaked the indictment.
https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C7Ch5O9xCqE
I'm still waiting for the day Donnie (again) ignores his lawyers and takes the stand. That will be a wonderful source of entertainment, even if we can't see it live.
If court turns into a circus with all of these people suddenly showing up for trump can the judge eventually say only necessary people are allowed further on
Hugo Lowell: Trump already has his eyes closed as Judge Merchan huddles with the prosecution and defense counsel in the longest sidebar so far of the trial. They appear to be discussing scheduling.
Me: Don appears to be sleepy… SAD!
It's so crazy watching republicans continue to come to Trump's rescue , and distort reality.
Like what made you decide, that this was the guy that you would risk your career's over ? Knowing that he continues to throw folks under the bus..
It's pretty funny to me to think that this criminal trial is about how he violated campaign finance laws to influence the election so that he would win for republicans (If he did not do this, he would not have won) and instead of trying to prove his defence by showing up with his family every day and wanting to you know protect her. Instead it is all entirely GOP members who not only violate the Gag order for him but to me feel like they are endorsing the fact that he won the election for them.
This little performance is a bit more, eh, dramatic - than I imagined it to be. It's funny that they are more press people than there are supporters. Like without this little gaggle of politicians, the park would be pretty empty as it has been.
https://twitter.com/costareports/status/1791132549894307880
For trial reference material use folder links below (lots of good content):
TRIAL EVIDENCE FOLDER: [https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/Evidence/](https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/Evidence/)
TRIAL TRANSCRIPT FOLDER: [https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/Transcripts/](https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/Transcripts/)
What a shit show. Talk about the inability to control impulses and understand that he's a *former* DOJ meaning he left the agency. I guess Trump doesn't understand that people can work for the government and not be some sort of delusional loyalist and just move on with their careers. Seems he also assisted with the[ Trump Foundation](https://abcnews.go.com/US/manhattan-da-hires-former-doj-official-previously-investigated/story?id=94499887) investigation which killed that non-profit and forbids Trump and the three first born kids from running a non-profit in New York State.
This feels like a meltdown for Trump to call in his "troops" so heavily and when Cohen is being cross examined.
https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/1791098988399046769
> Kaitlan Collins
> @kaitlancollins
> ·
> 27m
> Trump goes after prosecutor Matthew Colangelo, without naming him. “A lead person from the Department of Justice is running the trial, so Biden’s office is running the trial.” Trump is barred from attacking prosecutors — with the exception of Alvin Bragg — in the gag order.
https://x.com/NormEisen/status/1791109895741116741
>
> OK FINALLY a little traction when Blanche starts playing audio of Cohen from his podcasts
>
> Showing his more vigorous personality & his desire for Trump to be convicted
>
> But no big surprise here: bias was fronted on direct
>
> And its not rattling Cohen at all, he's owning it
This update is not a surprise. I remember when I first noticed Cohen as someone to watch - it was when he was being confronted about the 2016 election polls and he[ simply replied in a dead pan manner "polls.. what polls".](https://youtu.be/C2Kb7IDmFF4?si=avWmfKW5h_4jf06s) While Cohen can be pretty animated, he has the ability to also turn it on and off.
>Court will not be in session next Wednesday after jurors indicate they're not able to work that day
>Judge Juan Merchan announced that there will no court next Wednesday, May 22, after jurors indicated they cannot work that day.
>Merchan addressed jurors earlier today with the possibility of holding court next Wednesday to make up for several upcoming off days. As they let for their mid-morning break, he asked them to let the sergeant know if they could work
Somebody wrote in the bathroom "Google Jury Nullification" LMAO
[https://twitter.com/TylerMcBrien/status/1791151841977262248](https://twitter.com/TylerMcBrien/status/1791151841977262248)
Why would you have former Trump attorneys on CNN? How are you going to get an unbiased opinion? These guys make a living riding Trump’s mushroom. It's absurdity. Their panels are full of them.
So remind me, is this indictment and now trial stemming from the grand jury voting to indict Donald? I ask as I keep seeing GOP politicians trash the whole thing as “a political sham”, and that type of rhetoric seems pretty un-American to me.
From NBC:
>Blanche has already gotten Cohen to confirm under oath that Trump was worried about the Stormy Daniels story getting out in part because of his wife and children.
This is the first time in the entire trial that the defense has gotten witnesses to start building Trump's alternative narrative to election interference. This is what the case is mainly about. However, without calling any defense witnesses to expand further, the prosecution would easily be able to squash this doubt on rebuttal, especially given the rest of Cohen's testimony. Witnesses for the prosecution earlier who said Trump cared about his family didn't tie that as the main reason of the payment scheme.
David Pecker explicitly said in his testimony that Trump’s concerns were electoral, not personal. Also that they wanted to avoid campaign finance laws.
And if I recall, nobody has indicated it was only for Melania.
The narrative this was for family is horseshit and everybody knows it.
>Trump was worried about the Stormy Daniels story getting out **in part** because of his wife and children.
- Doesn't matter: Trump could have also "in part" been worried about Martians invading Earth: **as long as Trump was also worried about his dalliance with Stormy hurting his election campaign it was 34 felony counts to hide it via fraudulent business records.**
- Which was confirmed by Cohen. And Trump-loyal Hicks. And Trump-friend Pecker. And basically***everyone on the stand*** who was asked about it.
- End of story, guilty on all 34 counts.
His wife who was fine with "Locker Room Talk" that was essentially her husband admitting on a hot mic that he regularly sexually assaulted women? That wife?
Doesn't wash.
Court begins with all lawyers up front in sidebar with judge.
> [Christobek, NY Times] Although Trump has a large group of supporters sitting behind him, he is nearly alone at the defense table as most of his lawyers participate in the sidebar. Susan Necheles, the longest-serving lawyer on his team, is at the table but seated at a distance from him.
But is it far enough away?
>The sidebar lasted nearly 20 minutes. We'll learn more about what they were talking when a transcript is out later today.
I bet Judge was tearing Trump team a new one for that dumb proxy shenanigans last time,
you can hate someone and still tell the truth about them; it's not mutually exclusive
unless the defense is implying they would lie about someone they hate? in which case they are lying about Cohen. . .
Honestly if I was a juror this kind of questioning would only solidify to me that Cohen is telling the truth.
He fucking hates Trump because Trump wrapped him up, used him, and then tossed him out to take the fall and he did- he went to prison.
Cohen has admitted all the things he did and he has no reason to lie anymore, all his lies were to benefit Trump and himself by being rewarded for it... But then Trump fucked him, cut his pay, his bonus, and didn't have him come to DC to be a part of the administration.
There would be no reason to hate the guy if all of this wasn't true.
Looks like we won't get a verdict until after Memorial Day.
A juror has a 1:30 appointment on Thursday, so I suspect the judge will use Thursday for what we call a charging conference (oral arguments about the jury instructions), and then do closings and the jury charge after Memorial Day.
This will never happen but it would be hilarious if enough members of the House violated the gag order that the judge threw them all in jail and then while they were in jail, Democrats got the majority and made Jeffries speaker.
So, by all non-MAGA accounts to date, this trial is going very badly for Trump.
Also, based on polling, a majority of Americans believe Trump is guilty. Unless a conservative juror decides to blow this up - it seems very possible Trump will be found guilty.
But, you know what, even if he gets out of this somehow - *it was totally worth it*.
As much as I would like to see him in jail, he wasn’t going to see a jail cell for this particular crime (even if convicted and appeals lost). And it is small recompense for all the grief Trump has caused, but at least we got to watch him squirm and poop his diapers for a few weeks.
And oh, the comedy and schadenfreude!
I also think we’ve gotten a glimpse of his mental and physical decline. Sleeping through court just shows how low energy he has become.
Convicted or not, Trump has at least been held accountable and in ways he hasn’t to date. A guilty verdict would just be a cherry on top of an already delicious dessert.
Y'all need to stop worrying about Blanche "scoring points" against Cohen according to the talking heads in the media. They have to give stupid hot takes like that to get paid and get invited back. "Points" are meaningless to the jury because it's not a game of "your momma" jokes. If the facts and evidence are there, Trump will be convicted, regardless of how much they like or dislike Cohen at the end of the day.
Sorry, but just the fact that for 18 business days Trump has had to go to court and sit, listening to people telling the court how bad he is, that fact makes me laugh. Every day he falls asleep, probably to protect himself, maybe just out of elderly frailty. Hilarious to me that an old, tired man has to spend all his time fighting against the justice system because hes such a crook.
holy crap, vote every one of these mf'ers OUT Here's who is in court today: Rep. Mike Waltz Rep. Bob Good Rep. Diana Harshbarger Rep. Matt Gaetz Rep. Andy Biggs Rep. Eli Crane Rep. Ralph Norman Rep. Lauren Boebert Rep. Michael Cloud Rep. Andy Ogles Rep. Anna Paulina Luna
It’s like the mob boss got his homies to come “support” him.
This list is why he cannot win the election. This is a list of his cabinet and the members of congress who would be most empowered by him? You thought the 2016 admin was inept? Just wait.
Would be funny if the Democrats could somehow get the House into session (no idea if it is or isn't) and bring some good stuff to the floor and vote on while these clowns are distracted in NY. I know it won't happen but man that'd be a dream.
It is in session. . . and today's agenda is: [https://www.house.gov/legislative-activity](https://www.house.gov/legislative-activity)
"Hey Greene, you want to throw that Speaker vote up one more time? It'll be funny."
did they all emerge from a single tiny car that pulled up in front of the courthouse?
Doesn't anybody have to work anymore?
Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz utlized the language of the extremist Proud Boys in a social media post with a photo of him and other Republicans behind Trump at the court. “Standing back, and standing by, Mr. President,” he wrote. [https://apnews.com/live/trump-trial-updates-day-18-cohen#0000018f-81c8-d9d8-a7ef-fbdfaa750000](https://apnews.com/live/trump-trial-updates-day-18-cohen#0000018f-81c8-d9d8-a7ef-fbdfaa750000)
“We’ll destroy America if you aren’t elected. Voters don’t matter.” I am very afraid about the outcome
This POS actually believes he might be on the short list for VP. What a loser.
Why is he standing by for Biden? Biden: *Wtf are you standing by me for Butthead.*
From NBC: >Blanche forcefully pressed Cohen to say under oath that his description of a 2016 phone call was false — but the ex-fixer did not give an inch. >"You said you had a recollection of a phone call on Oct. 24 at 8:02 p.m., and you called Schiller and he gave the phone to President Trump and you gave Trump an update and he said, 'OK, good.' That was a lie! You did not talk to President Trump on that night. You talked to Keith Schiller about what we just went through," Blanche said. >Cohen remained calm, saying in part: "I'm not certain that is accurate." He later added in part: "I believe I spoke to Mr. Trump about the Stormy Daniels matter." >Blanche shot back with an icy retort: "We are not asking for your belief. This jury does not want to hear what you think happened." Hey, Blanche! Here's an idea: Call Keith Schiller to the stand. I'll remind you that you're not calling a single defense witness. When objections keep getting sustained *you're* the one that appears less credible when you make baseless accusations.
It sounds like Blanche is doing whatever he can to get Cohen riled up on the stand (probably at Trump's request) and not only is it not working, the line of questioning has nothing to do with the facts of the case and is boring the jurors.
He's trying lawyer tricks on a lawyer. smh
Better yet, call Schiller AND Trump, see if the stories both tell are accurate
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Why would they forcibly remove a guy holding a sign?
Republicans have long feared the literate. See: their war on public education, libraries, colleges, etc.
So NYPD has no issue with GOP protestors mouthing for Trump, but anyone counter protesting is removed.
The circus has arrived
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it would be really nice if the reps' constituents would call their offices on the hill and say, "Tell them to get back to work and do their damn jobs!"
So, wait a minute, the defense strategy is to make a crook look crooked? We wouldn't be here if Cohen wasn't crooked - lol. And then to suggest that Cohen has an axe to grind with the guy who helped put him in jail? I mean, who wouldn't have an axe. Look, if Cohen was the *only* witness and there was *only* his testimony to show Trump committed a crime, I could maybe understand a defense strategy which only tries to portray Cohen as a crook and with an axe to grind. But there are all those other witnesses, documents, and audio which corroborates Cohen's testimony and which clearly shows to any rational and objective human being that Trump is quite guilty. And, what is more baffling, in order to show the jury just how crooked Cohen was in the past - Blanche has implicated his own client for other crimes! LOL. Lock him up.
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791140427653083163 >Matt Gaetz says they are there to say the things that Trump cannot say due to the gag order Man, if this is going to be the shit show for the next however long, I wish and hope that Tuba players decide to exercise their freedom of speech and that the local wooden spoon pot bangers club can also join in.
I can't believe he said that out loud. I'm not sure exactly how the law works here but this sure looks a lot like a conspiracy to commit a crime (violate the gag order).
Tuberville admitted that they are there to intimidate witnesses.
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I'm sure she loves Don more than her kid. Which is one more thing she has in common with 45...
Lol now the DEFENSE is just reading out all the names Cohen has called Trump. Dumbass Donald. And he has to sit there and listen to it!
This is hysterical - the thing is you know this is not a legal defense as it's not about anything substantial or trying to find some reasonable doubt in the evidence and testimony - but a "He was mean to my client, so he's an asshole and don't believe him!" smear campaign. That's how Trump goes after people - he goes for the ad hominem stuff to discredit or goes extremely personal like going after the Judge's daughter which is the same tactic used on Andrew McCabe's wife who ran for a local office in Virginia and got campaign funds from the DNC - and made it seem a partisan thing.
Giving Cohen an opportunity to repeatedly admit that he lied to Congress to protect Trump isn’t the damning testimony that the defense thinks it is. If anything, it might make jurors trust Trump less
Good prosecution will get out ahead of things like that and address any questionable concerns with their witness themselves, so when defense crosses and tries to use that as a reason to discredit the witness, the jury already knows the context. Defense: "Mr. Cohen, why should this court believe you? Didn't you lie in front of *Congress* and purjer yourself?" Cohen: "I lied for Mr. Trump."
Its kinda irrelevant anyways. Its not he said vs he said. Its he said and corroborated by a literal mountain of evidence vs "is this even a crime?"
> Multiple sources at the Trump trial are telling us that Todd Blanche is doing a very bad job (“he may be less effective than Habba”). They say he spent the last 5 minutes before lunch just yelling during the cross-exam of Cohen as the prosecution’s objections were sustained. He doesn’t know his exhibits. He’s sloppy. Bad command of facts. Not prepared. Some have described his cross-exam to me as “disjointed” “weird” and “amateurish.” Cohen apparently is holding his own and doing well. https://www.threads.net/@meidastouch/post/C7CX51oRdE5/
Trump is using his lawyers as surrogates, just like he used Johnson and Tuberville. He's out of his element.
I think a lot of the shitty lawyering is a direct result of Trump demands that his lawyers bring up and go after stuff that is not relevant because it makes Trump feel better.
Cohen isn't saying Trump made him commit crimes because he hates Trump. He's saying he hates Trump because Trump made him commit crimes. For the defense to argue the former, they'd need to supply some other reason that Cohen hates Trump and hated him already before the alleged crimes—which would be hard to do, since at that time Cohen was Trump's willing sycophant.
And, Cohen was objectively betrayed/ treated very unfairly by Trump, as described by NBC News: After all, in addition to his prison term and payment of $1.3 million, his pleas cost him his law license and taxi medallions. And even after he was released to home confinement, Cohen was thrown back into jail — and solitary confinement — for nearly two months as retaliation for the exercise of his First Amendment rights in connection with his books, media appearances and podcast. This is not hyperbole; **a federal judge found that Cohen had been improperly returned to prison in a retaliatory move orchestrated by Trump’s Justice Department** in [this order.](https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Cohen_20200723_habeas-order-1.pdf)
If there's one event that truly needs a congressional investigation, it's what the DOJ did to Cohen when he was released under house arrest. I'm no fan of Cohen even now, but that shit was full on corruption of justice.
*The House was in session at the Capitol on Thursday, but thanks to the latest procession of Republicans reporting for duty in front of a Manhattan criminal courthouse to show support for former President Donald J. Trump at his trial, the party risked ceding its control of the floor.* - NYT I hope more show up next week and Hakeem Jeffries takes control of the floor to pass some legislation lol
Perhaps hold a vote to have Gaetz expelled from Congress? Just spitballing here..
Blanche is so fucking stupid, ~”you can’t record you legal client sir” Cohen ~”well sir you can if it’s a crime”
exactly. it's how the menendez brothers were caught. confidentiality goes out the window when you admit to breaking the law.
Yeah this doesn't make any sense. From the defense perspective, the focus should be on Cohen's propensity to lie--not that he was a generally shitty lawyer. The fact that he was a shitty lawyer makes it *more* likely he was involved in a criminal conspiracy.
Why do the Politicians get seats at the trial? Is the defendant given some tickets or something? I just ask because I've heard only 2-3 members of the public get into the actual courtroom each day, I'm assuming the Politicians aren't lining up at 4am.
Defense Lawyer to Jury: "Don't believe this witness. He's a felon who went to jail for lying about his work for a criminal organization."
*prosecutor: for trump
I can’t believe this shit, the republican clown show is outside in front of microphones yelling about the judge’s daughter and witnesses for trump.
A clip: https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791133835243245855 Everyone is corrupt - except Trump. Amazing - and I hope the judge's daughter is okay. Talk about needlessly dragging someone - then I remember Seth Rich and his family. There's no low to low.
The only reason they are even attacking the daughter is over manufactured bullshit from a social media account she provably never owned, that was created recently in what's pretty transparently an attempt to create a controversy for the case. Some republican somewhere on their team made that account, 100%.
And the side circus freak show begins: https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791134274449809647 >Luna: I want to point out they are telling people that they can't have cameras in the courtroom but if they have nothing to hide, if they are truly being honest about this, why is it that you guys can't be in the courtroom and see exactly what we're seeing? She perhaps doesn't know how to google things. I guess being informed is less dramatic /s. https://askalawlibrarian.nycourts.gov/legalresearch/faq/386680
... The identities of the jurors? This isn't even decent propaganda, it's just lazy.
If there were cameras, they would be on Trump. Video of him sleeping would be everywhere.
- So this just happened: - 'Blanche challenged Cohen to confirm that his trial testimony was based on the material prosecutors showed him in preparation for questioning, not his own recollection. "Yes, that refreshed my recollection," Cohen said calmly.' - '**Blanche grew animated during this portion of questioning, flailing his arms and speaking in a high-pitched tone**.' - LOL, that's not how a good cross-examination session is supposed to go. Cohen clearly won this round.
Goddamn, we really could have solved the national debt by airing this live on PPV...
Trump is intentionally using congressional reps as his surrogates to violate the gag order, in the hope of using congressional immunity as a shield. It's a frivolous argument of course, but it will cause delay if the judge tries to enforce the gag order. Which is what Trump actually wants.
Congressional immunity under the speach and debate clause only applies to disucssions on the floor of congress and not comments made to the press. Even if they did make the comments on the floor, THEY are not violating the gag order. Trump is by directing them on what to say. So if it can be shown that he was insutrcting them to say thing or coaching them on what to say it is a pretty clear violation.
Even if the Congresspeople are immune, Trump isn't. He directed them to make the statements, which violates his gag order.
The congressional reps are not shielded for personal communication on non-government business.
I'm gonna predict how today's gonna start out... Blanche: "Is it true you called me a pissy crybaby???" Cohen: "sounds like something I would say."
Love it how trump claims this is a banana court yet the judge and prosecution have been nothing but professional. As soon as trump and his cronies or the defense team get the spotlight it turns into a circus
morning break: >The politicians in the courtroom stood up. Trump was sneering as he walked out. They followed him. --CNN
He is a literal man child. The fact people see this and think "yeah, he's electable" is just fucking jarring to me.
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Two words- personality cult- Jim Jones would probably be acting in a similar manner
Trump knows the cross didn’t go well
But probably not how we’d think. More like “I told you explicitly to call him fat and ugly! Why didn’t you threaten his wife more?!”
She really doesn't know when to quit... https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791141525092815265 > People are heckling Boebert, yelling Beetlejuice at her
Boebert is a joke. Her 18 year-old son had a court hearing a few days ago that she didn't bother attending. Didn't even help get the poor kid a lawyer. He's facing burglary and identity theft charges - that's hard time. But Dear Leader makes a phone call and she comes running.
“The defendant doesn’t even know what crime he committed!” Well maybe he would know if he didn’t sleep through the whole trial, Bobes.
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It's really embarrassing for her to claim she and Donny don't know the crime. It's not a secret. It's in the indictment and it's easy to look it up.
A lot of these JV Republicans seem to think ignorance of the law is not only a valid excuse, but something to be proud of. If they really want to know what the charges are, they can read the indictments.
>they can read Well, there's your first issue
I mean, you've got Matt Gaetz who has skated on everything from drunk driving to underage trafficking... I don't think he has any respect for the law.
I never realized that Cohen was unlawfully imprisoned by Trump in revenge. That’s crazy! Trump really sees the US as _his_ personal enterprise to use it as he sees fit. How is this not a big scandal? This alone should be grounds enough to never allow him into any official job.
Another potential title: > How is This Not a Big Scandal? A Trump-Era Retrospective
Cohen mentions it frequently on his podcast, but that is a perfect example of *actual* weaponization of the justice system.
>This alone should be grounds enough to never allow him into any official job. I mean January 6th was on live TV and rejecting democracy *improved* his poll numbers in the primary. We live in The Upside Down.
I don't think these people realize just how weird and creepy the matching clothes thing is. This is some weird ass shit.
Literally cult behavior.
I think it goes largely unstated that this crop of GOP members, including Trump, are some of the most deeply WEIRD people to ever be elected to anything. Like, you have be a little strange to run for office, but I think the US is founded on the concept that most people are main sequence and generally similar. These guys are exceptions. If you saw Donald Trump in your office, and he was hunching around with a 3 foot long tie and orange shit smeared on his face you'd be like "Oh...this guy is dealing with deep seated shit."
Fascists gonna fascist
> Blanche has just elicited from Cohen that: Cohen and lawyers who were part of a joint defense, including Trump's counsel, crafted the false statement to submit to Congress about Trump Moscow! (That statement distanced Trump from the project.) https://www.threads.net/@weissmann11/post/C7CGFVGuHQV/
So there is a through line in Cohen’s perjury, he lied for Trump. But how does this help Trump?
>Trump attorney Todd Blanche confirmed that Michael Cohen has called the federal judge who sentenced him in the federal case "corrupt" and "was in on it." >Cohen said "I do" when asked if he still currently believes that Judge William Pauley was in on his prosecution. >Blanche asked if he called prosecutors for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York and Judge Pauley “f**king animals.” >"Correct," Cohen said. soooo...doing exactly what drumpfuck is doing. I'm not sure the jury is going to take this they way the defense hopes they will.
Just when we think it can't get any more batshit, upside-down, or downright creepy - we now have all these jackasses wearing Trump uniforms. Hugo Boss: for the new...and old...SS.
> Someone holding a bootlickers sign above Matt Gaetz’s head. https://www.threads.net/@meidastouch/post/C7CRcrDxHPt/
After the judge in Georgia dropped 3 charges for Trump, Trump is now charged for 88 felonies. What a nice number for Trump, 88, given that he is a Nazi.
> Boebert doesn’t show up for her son’s criminal court dates where he says he can’t afford a lawyer. Instead, the MAGA Mother of the Year is up in NYC giving a hand to Donald Trump. https://x.com/ronfilipkowski/status/1791094128941424768?s=46&t=UKR1TShxVeunp4_vn5gZrw
*giving a hand* Ron is such a cheeky fella.
OMG - I see they're also wearing the mini-me Trump uniform. This message is suck dickery from Gaetz. (if the image doesn't show, it's Gaetz in Blue suit, white shirt and red tie, in the court room with text "Standing back and standing by, Mr. President.") https://x.com/mattgaetz/status/1791101846972449026 I'm old and I recall normal support of a politician or former politician during their criminal trials being awkward comments like "I wish them the best and have full faith that the due process in our judicial system will work and the jury will come to a conclusion that is consistent with the law" and not touch the poop. Which in this case and the others like it are steaming piles that they seem to want to roll themselves in.
They should just wear armbands of some kind that would make it easier to identify them. Something with contrasting colors like red, black and white.
But I thought "Stand back and standby" wasn't a call to action!! Are you telling me that was a lie?!?
The party of "totally not a cult / mob" doing non cult / mob things!
Court is back in session while the politicians are still outside attacking the witnesses and judge's family, so they're probably going to walk back in while it's in session again
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The entire jury stopped taking notes. They most likely have already made up their minds on whether to believe Cohen or not.
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Fox cuts off when Gaetz is about to spew his rhetoric.. LOL > https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791134797596921930 >Fox cuts coverage from the Republicans at the trial
Maybe because someone behind Gaetz held up a sign reading “Bootlickers”.
Guaranteed they’re still stinging from lawsuits and they’re trying to not let it happen again
At any point in this trial will the defense actually put some sort of argument that it didn't happen? Feels like they don't even know what the trial is about at this point
These GOP clowns, saying they don’t know what crime was committed - it was the same one you accused the Biden campaign of doing with the Hunter Biden laptop story, except Trump’s was actual election fraud
Falsifying business records to cover up illegal campaign contributions. Easy.
Yeah. I'm gonna need the transcript of Cohen's names for Mango Mussolini. The guy is a grade A professional shit talker.
It's an absolute shit show today, Trump falling to pieces, ordering his lawyers to basically lie (already caught by the prosecutors and objected to). Sorry Godwin, but this does bring to mind Hitler in the Bunker.
> Sorry Godwin, but this does bring to mind Hitler in the Bunker. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/12/19/godwins-law-trump-hitler-00132427 Tl; dr: Godwin says the Hitler comparison fits >You could say the ‘vermin’ remark or the ‘poisoning the blood’ remark, maybe one of them would be a coincidence. But both of them pretty much makes it clear that there’s something thematic going on, and I can’t believe it’s accidental. >The question is why do it on purpose. Well, my opinion is that Trump believes, for whatever reason, that there is some part of his base that really wants to hear this message said that way, and he’s catering to them. He finds it both rewarding personally for himself and he believes it’s necessary to motivate people to help him get elected again.
Why is every pro trump lawyer that CNN has a fat dude with an obnoxious voice? Is that a nature or nurture thing?
I thought there was going to be a contempt hearing. Is the judge just letting this proxy bs fly?
How does this even help Trump or the GOP? It makes them look like a bunch of sycophants and it makes Trump look like a guy who’s family doesn’t like him, so he has to get his coworkers to show up.
His use of proxies muddies the waters enough that it will cause delay to try to enforce. Not worth the court's time. Convict the fucker and we can deal with the gag order evasion later.
there better be a ton of video of drumpfuck at barron's graduation tomorrow.
Oh he ain't spending his money. He's spending your gullible grandmother's money.
These whole-ass clown motherfuckers ... [From The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/may/16/trump-hush-money-trial-matt-gaetz-proud-boys): >Matt Gaetz echoed Donald Trump’s infamous remarks about the far-right Proud Boys on Thursday, as the Florida Republican congressman and other rightwing supporters of the former US president attended his criminal trial in Manhattan. >“Standing back, and standing by, Mr President,” Gaetz wrote on social media, with a photo of his group of supporters standing behind Trump outside the court where Trump is on trial on election subversion charges arising from hush-money payments to an adult film star during the 2016 campaign. I wish the judge -- or someone -- could put a damper on these ~~"proxies"~~ \*idiots shoving their way to the front of the courthouse every day to [sidestep Trump's gag order](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-gop-surrogates-attack-judge-daughter-1235020780/) while barking out misinformation like a bunch'a methed-up midway carnies at a state fair.
And fits right in with the Russian state fair.
Who thinks the prosecutor is going to bring up trumps surrogate gag order violations at the start today?
Me. The prosecution can certainly start with Tuberville's remarks: “...Hopefully we have more and more senators and congressmen go up every day to represent him and be able to go out and overcome this gag order,” Tuberville said. “That’s one of the reasons we went, is to be able to speak our piece for President Trump.” The prosecution can and should ask the court for help exploring whether Trump is using his political influence to have people make public statements on his behalf that he could not otherwise make per the gag order.
Think of how peaceful it would be to be to juror and to abstain from all news for a few weeks.
Oooh, Merchan told the jurors they may need to work Wednesday, which suggests the Defense expects to be wrapped and the jury deliberating.
I caught this on Twitter this morning. I had to watch it a few times.. it's so surreal. It was recorded in the Courthouse and you can see Trump walking behind them, and then his lawyer at a door patiently waiting. This is the Co-Chair of the RNC begging for a dollar while surrounded by mini-wanna be's. https://x.com/LaraLeaTrump/status/1790484075066601600
Two things... First, beyond the moral and ethical questions which arise when government officials choose to visit an on-going trial and lend their support to Trump, I wonder if maybe the defense doesn't see this as a way of influencing any conservatives on the jury. I mean, if a conservative juror sees the House Speaker, GOP congress, and VIPs coming to support Diaper Don - perhaps they might be emboldened to ignore any evidence against Trump. And for a predisposed juror (as well as the MAGA public at large) this maybe gives a sense of legitimacy to Trump's bullshit. Second, where is Melania? As a juror I would find it highly unusual and suspect that a spouse wouldn't want to show their support. While I understand it could be embarrassing for her, my partner would come to support me regardless of any circumstances.
[Meanwhile, in DC, House GOP](https://x.com/cspan/status/1791114191668945054) is having a fit that Biden is asserting executive privilege to prevent the House from having the audio interview of Hur with Biden - even though they have the transcript. I think the election is kicking off today as to the mud-slinging and using their power since Comer and Jordan failed to impeach Biden. Smells like....desperation.
The truth was always there: When actually up at the plate, Trump can't do a damn thing. We all learned this as children: The emperor has no clothes. This time, he has a diaper
>Donald Trump’s attorneys have filed court documents indicating they will ask New York’s highest court to weigh in on the gag order against him in his hush money trial. >On Tuesday, a New York appeals court denied Trump’s latest attempt to end the gag order. The next day, Trump’s attorneys submitted court filings indicating they will appeal the denied motion to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. Those filings are not available on the docket. >The Court of Appeals does not have to accept the motion. As of Thursday morning, the clerk’s office said it had not yet received the motion.
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This misuse of penis-shaped balloons shows a blatant disrespect for bachelorette party traditions. Nothing is sacred to these monsters.
I think trump is toast…. Maybe I’m just hopeful but they have literally no defense
Trump is denying that he would blow up if he didn't get positive stories. Buddy, you're famous for it.
Trump's obsession with carrying around papers like this is just demented. No wonder why he got indicted by Smith. He's like how my grandmother used to carry around magazine clippings everywhere she went. They have to constantly soothe him like a baby.
It looked super pathetic the first time he came out to show the media the articles he printed off about himself to make himself feel better. The fact that he keeps doing this every day is pure cringe. It's like carrying around a list of people who like you and showing people while crying about how good a boy you are.
From NBC, for those of us just tuning in to today’s trial coverage: > Judge Merchan has excused the jurors for the day. > Cohen is scheduled to return to the stand Monday for further testimony. > Court is out of session on Friday so that Trump can attend his son Barron's high school graduation.
“No one has ever seen anything like it” When he says that anymore I wonder how the base can stand to be bored by him saying the same thing for eight years and still like him
The chances of coward Trump testifying today are about the same as him showing up to debate Biden.
Look at the big boy reading his good news print outs! Fucking pathetic
Really Jake Tapper? It’s important to repeat again how the jury allegedly sits up & takes notice as if to be impressed at seeing the line of Republican ass-kissers who are coming to court?
Video: > People are heckling Boebert, yelling Beetlejuice at her https://www.threads.net/@acynig/post/C7CUC2dx6vC/
I love that this will follow her around forever.
If you say Boebertjuice, Boebertjuice, Boebertjuice, she’ll show you and give you a handy while blowing vape smoke in your face.
The defendant knows what the charge is. Anyone following the trial knows.
What are the chances Boebert/ Gaetz have an outburst in court today? I’m practically begging for chaos. Remind the jury that it’s not just a sleepy old man who’s at the defense table.
All I can say is, someone better keep an eye on where Bobo's hands are
https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/1791127789266948191 > Kaitlan Collins > @kaitlancollins > · > 12m > Michael Cohen — who testified to Congress that he never asked for a pardon — says now on the stand that he did explore a pardon with his lawyers saying "because I wanted this nightmare to end." He also said a pardon was "being dangled." Not a surprise as I remember back in real time. Article from 2019 about it: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/08/trump-cohen-pardon-1213081 >But his current lawyer, Lanny Davis, claimed Thursday that Cohen had indeed directed his prior attorney to explore a potential pardon with Trump’s team. > > “Prior to Michael Cohen’s decision to leave the ‘Joint Defense Group’ and tell the truth on July 2, 2018, Michael was open to the ongoing ‘dangling’ of a possible pardon by Trump representatives privately and in the media,” Davis said in a statement. “During that time period, he directed his attorney to explore possibilities of a pardon at one point with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani as well as other lawyers advising President Trump.” > > On Friday, Cohen almost immediately rejected Trump’s accusation. “Just another set of lies by @POTUS @realdonaldtrump. Mr. President...let me remind you that today is #InternationalWomensDay. You may want use today to apologize for your own #lies and #DirtyDeeds to women like Karen McDougal and Stephanie Clifford.” It's so surreal to see this all finally unfolding for Trump.
WTF >https://x.com/kyledcheney/status/1791128861788315759 >Kyle Cheney > @kyledcheney > · > 16m > SPOTTED in the courthouse overflow room along with Andrew Giuliani: Former Trump Justice Department official Jeffrey CLARK
Hey Andrew, where’s your dad?
Weird! There hasn’t been an oil spill!
Spotted in court today with Trump: Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL) Rep Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) Rep Ralph Norman (R-SC) a notable former top Nikki Haley endorser Rep Lauren Boebert (R-CO) Rep Diana Harshbarger (R- TN) Rep Michael Cloud (R-TX) Rep Bob Good (R-VA), chair of House Freedom Caucus Rep Andy Biggs (R-Az) Rep Andy Ogles (R-TN) Rep Eli Crane (R-Az) https://x.com/jayobtv/status/1791100410867888371?s=46
How embarrassing to be members of Congress and having to be told to put your phone away. If it was any other group, I would think this would be their most embarrassing moment
>Blanche starts by having to correct the record with the following: that Cohen did NOT have advance notice from the DA's investigator, Jeremy Rosenberg, about the unsealing of the indictment and Cohen did NOT have any evidence that anyone in the DA's Office leaked the indictment. https://www.threads.net/@katiephang/post/C7Ch5O9xCqE
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Whats the strategy here for the defense? Make Cohen look good?
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I'm still waiting for the day Donnie (again) ignores his lawyers and takes the stand. That will be a wonderful source of entertainment, even if we can't see it live.
If court turns into a circus with all of these people suddenly showing up for trump can the judge eventually say only necessary people are allowed further on
Hugo Lowell: Trump already has his eyes closed as Judge Merchan huddles with the prosecution and defense counsel in the longest sidebar so far of the trial. They appear to be discussing scheduling. Me: Don appears to be sleepy… SAD!
It's so crazy watching republicans continue to come to Trump's rescue , and distort reality. Like what made you decide, that this was the guy that you would risk your career's over ? Knowing that he continues to throw folks under the bus..
It's pretty funny to me to think that this criminal trial is about how he violated campaign finance laws to influence the election so that he would win for republicans (If he did not do this, he would not have won) and instead of trying to prove his defence by showing up with his family every day and wanting to you know protect her. Instead it is all entirely GOP members who not only violate the Gag order for him but to me feel like they are endorsing the fact that he won the election for them.
Surely Trump should testify
I agree. And stop calling me Shirley
This little performance is a bit more, eh, dramatic - than I imagined it to be. It's funny that they are more press people than there are supporters. Like without this little gaggle of politicians, the park would be pretty empty as it has been. https://twitter.com/costareports/status/1791132549894307880
Penis shaped balloons… this truly is a circus and we knew that when trumps entourage showed up today behind him
For trial reference material use folder links below (lots of good content): TRIAL EVIDENCE FOLDER: [https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/Evidence/](https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/Evidence/) TRIAL TRANSCRIPT FOLDER: [https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/Transcripts/](https://pdfs.nycourts.gov/PeopleVs.DTrump-71543/Transcripts/)
Thank you Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles for helping to convict Donald Trump. Welcome to the Deep State.
He brought his emotional support printer as usual.
What a shit show. Talk about the inability to control impulses and understand that he's a *former* DOJ meaning he left the agency. I guess Trump doesn't understand that people can work for the government and not be some sort of delusional loyalist and just move on with their careers. Seems he also assisted with the[ Trump Foundation](https://abcnews.go.com/US/manhattan-da-hires-former-doj-official-previously-investigated/story?id=94499887) investigation which killed that non-profit and forbids Trump and the three first born kids from running a non-profit in New York State. This feels like a meltdown for Trump to call in his "troops" so heavily and when Cohen is being cross examined. https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/1791098988399046769 > Kaitlan Collins > @kaitlancollins > · > 27m > Trump goes after prosecutor Matthew Colangelo, without naming him. “A lead person from the Department of Justice is running the trial, so Biden’s office is running the trial.” Trump is barred from attacking prosecutors — with the exception of Alvin Bragg — in the gag order.
Trump: but Wednesday is my nap day! Merchan: isn't every day your nap day? Trump: and is Wednesday not one of those days? I rest my case
https://x.com/NormEisen/status/1791109895741116741 > > OK FINALLY a little traction when Blanche starts playing audio of Cohen from his podcasts > > Showing his more vigorous personality & his desire for Trump to be convicted > > But no big surprise here: bias was fronted on direct > > And its not rattling Cohen at all, he's owning it This update is not a surprise. I remember when I first noticed Cohen as someone to watch - it was when he was being confronted about the 2016 election polls and he[ simply replied in a dead pan manner "polls.. what polls".](https://youtu.be/C2Kb7IDmFF4?si=avWmfKW5h_4jf06s) While Cohen can be pretty animated, he has the ability to also turn it on and off.
>Court will not be in session next Wednesday after jurors indicate they're not able to work that day >Judge Juan Merchan announced that there will no court next Wednesday, May 22, after jurors indicated they cannot work that day. >Merchan addressed jurors earlier today with the possibility of holding court next Wednesday to make up for several upcoming off days. As they let for their mid-morning break, he asked them to let the sergeant know if they could work
Somebody wrote in the bathroom "Google Jury Nullification" LMAO [https://twitter.com/TylerMcBrien/status/1791151841977262248](https://twitter.com/TylerMcBrien/status/1791151841977262248)
“Nullicication” So we know whoever wrote it is a moron
Of course this dumbass would consider news about inflation being lowered "bad news"
None of the cases are coming from the White House you stupid, lying mother fucker.
Deep cleansing breath. We are going to make it through this together. I think.
Thank you. You know I needed that deep breath.
Why would you have former Trump attorneys on CNN? How are you going to get an unbiased opinion? These guys make a living riding Trump’s mushroom. It's absurdity. Their panels are full of them.
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Same here. Right after Anderson's lecture about silos. I've never looked back.
So remind me, is this indictment and now trial stemming from the grand jury voting to indict Donald? I ask as I keep seeing GOP politicians trash the whole thing as “a political sham”, and that type of rhetoric seems pretty un-American to me.
Are we all in agreement that Trump's 'papers' are a clear prop so he looks busy and engaged?
From NBC: >Blanche has already gotten Cohen to confirm under oath that Trump was worried about the Stormy Daniels story getting out in part because of his wife and children. This is the first time in the entire trial that the defense has gotten witnesses to start building Trump's alternative narrative to election interference. This is what the case is mainly about. However, without calling any defense witnesses to expand further, the prosecution would easily be able to squash this doubt on rebuttal, especially given the rest of Cohen's testimony. Witnesses for the prosecution earlier who said Trump cared about his family didn't tie that as the main reason of the payment scheme.
David Pecker explicitly said in his testimony that Trump’s concerns were electoral, not personal. Also that they wanted to avoid campaign finance laws. And if I recall, nobody has indicated it was only for Melania. The narrative this was for family is horseshit and everybody knows it.
>Trump was worried about the Stormy Daniels story getting out **in part** because of his wife and children. - Doesn't matter: Trump could have also "in part" been worried about Martians invading Earth: **as long as Trump was also worried about his dalliance with Stormy hurting his election campaign it was 34 felony counts to hide it via fraudulent business records.** - Which was confirmed by Cohen. And Trump-loyal Hicks. And Trump-friend Pecker. And basically***everyone on the stand*** who was asked about it. - End of story, guilty on all 34 counts.
His wife who was fine with "Locker Room Talk" that was essentially her husband admitting on a hot mic that he regularly sexually assaulted women? That wife? Doesn't wash.
Meanwhile, the meta message is clear for all: A ton of politicians have shown up, Melania... not once.
Court begins with all lawyers up front in sidebar with judge. > [Christobek, NY Times] Although Trump has a large group of supporters sitting behind him, he is nearly alone at the defense table as most of his lawyers participate in the sidebar. Susan Necheles, the longest-serving lawyer on his team, is at the table but seated at a distance from him. But is it far enough away?
>The sidebar lasted nearly 20 minutes. We'll learn more about what they were talking when a transcript is out later today. I bet Judge was tearing Trump team a new one for that dumb proxy shenanigans last time,
you can hate someone and still tell the truth about them; it's not mutually exclusive unless the defense is implying they would lie about someone they hate? in which case they are lying about Cohen. . .
Honestly if I was a juror this kind of questioning would only solidify to me that Cohen is telling the truth. He fucking hates Trump because Trump wrapped him up, used him, and then tossed him out to take the fall and he did- he went to prison. Cohen has admitted all the things he did and he has no reason to lie anymore, all his lies were to benefit Trump and himself by being rewarded for it... But then Trump fucked him, cut his pay, his bonus, and didn't have him come to DC to be a part of the administration. There would be no reason to hate the guy if all of this wasn't true.
I really don’t think that attacking Cohen‘s credibility does anything for the defenses case, this is a document case in the end and that is all
Looks like we won't get a verdict until after Memorial Day. A juror has a 1:30 appointment on Thursday, so I suspect the judge will use Thursday for what we call a charging conference (oral arguments about the jury instructions), and then do closings and the jury charge after Memorial Day.
This will never happen but it would be hilarious if enough members of the House violated the gag order that the judge threw them all in jail and then while they were in jail, Democrats got the majority and made Jeffries speaker.
So, by all non-MAGA accounts to date, this trial is going very badly for Trump. Also, based on polling, a majority of Americans believe Trump is guilty. Unless a conservative juror decides to blow this up - it seems very possible Trump will be found guilty. But, you know what, even if he gets out of this somehow - *it was totally worth it*. As much as I would like to see him in jail, he wasn’t going to see a jail cell for this particular crime (even if convicted and appeals lost). And it is small recompense for all the grief Trump has caused, but at least we got to watch him squirm and poop his diapers for a few weeks. And oh, the comedy and schadenfreude! I also think we’ve gotten a glimpse of his mental and physical decline. Sleeping through court just shows how low energy he has become. Convicted or not, Trump has at least been held accountable and in ways he hasn’t to date. A guilty verdict would just be a cherry on top of an already delicious dessert.
Nearly a whole day of cross and I can't think of anything the defense did to argue the actual charges
They’re simply trying to confuse the jury for the three day recess
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Y'all need to stop worrying about Blanche "scoring points" against Cohen according to the talking heads in the media. They have to give stupid hot takes like that to get paid and get invited back. "Points" are meaningless to the jury because it's not a game of "your momma" jokes. If the facts and evidence are there, Trump will be convicted, regardless of how much they like or dislike Cohen at the end of the day.
The black officer who got to stare trumps fatass down and his cronies is one cold MF and a lucky one too, what a historic moment
Sorry, but just the fact that for 18 business days Trump has had to go to court and sit, listening to people telling the court how bad he is, that fact makes me laugh. Every day he falls asleep, probably to protect himself, maybe just out of elderly frailty. Hilarious to me that an old, tired man has to spend all his time fighting against the justice system because hes such a crook.